I'm Right Here Darling
by CompleteFictionFanatic
Summary: Edward gets too protective and does not allow Bella to even speak to Jacob and makes her stay away from some of his own family members. But what happens when Bella finds someone who is willing to stand up for her and that Edward may not be the one at all?
1. Chapter 1 : Changes

_**Hi welcome to my fanfic : ) This is my first twilight fanfic; I've done two other fanfics but they were for a TV series. I have read the entire Twilight Saga but this will take place shortly after New Moon. I hope you like it : ) Please Review**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own The Twilight Saga. **_

**Chapter 1: Changes **

**Bella's POV **

I looked up at him. His beautiful face was tight. It looked just like it felt; it looked like stone. His jaw was set and I could tell he was holding back a growl. His eyes were a pitch black even though he had hunted only around four days prior to that moment. His arms were wrapped protectively around me and I felt like I could suffocate but he would never let go. He was too afraid of what might happen. And it was getting on my nerves. I followed his eyes and looked at the person standing more than a couple of meters away from me. His eyes could tell that he was in pain and I didn't need his eyes; he was projecting the emotion. His own brother didn't trust him in the same room with me even if we were not alone. A honey blonde lock hung in front of his face. His expression was full of anguish. I wanted to hug him. This was all because of me and I felt extremely guilty. It was because I had to be a stupid and clumsy and fragile human.

But I still couldn't believe that even after Jasper had tried to stay away from me as much as possible, Edward still didn't trust these co-incidental encounters. Ever since my birthday, Jasper had not spoken a single word to me. This hurt me. I knew he was probably mad at me because I had made him look bad in front of his family and I accepted this. I knew that I had to shoulder the blame because I had been the one to get a paper cut in a room full of vampires. Guilt took over my body again. I needed to cry but I couldn't; not in front of the two vampire brothers.

"Get out," Edward said to him. He had almost growled it. I was so shocked at this behaviour; not that I hadn't already encountered it. My mind flashed back to two days before this encounter.

"_Jake, it's so nice to see you!" I said as I started running towards him when he parked his motorbike at the school gates. But suddenly, my wrist was held and I was pulled backwards. I was in his stone grasp.  
"What are you doing?" I asked Edward as I looked up at him. He looked down at me as if I had asked something that was completely obvious and I didn't like it; it made me feel like an idiot or at least stupid.  
"Protecting you; he can hurt you Bella. He can phase at any moment if the conversation gets on his nerves."  
"Edward, Jacob is my friend; he would never hurt me." I looked at my friend who looked like he would never hurt me but would definitely hurt Edward if given the chance. I didn't want them to fight; ever.  
"Bella, don't listen to him," Jacob said, "I will never hurt you. Do you understand this?" He had walked the short distance between the gates and our current position. He reached out for my hands but Edward growled.  
"And they say I'm the beast," Jacob said, mocking Edward. I could feel Edward's temper rising and I knew this had to stop. I looked at the both of them. I wanted this to work out but Edward had to let me talk to Jacob and Jacob had to let go of his prejudices, although in this particular case he did have a point – Edward was not allowing us to talk when he had no right to even think of doing such a thing.  
"Guys," I said, "cut it out. You're both important to me, don't you know that? Or do I have to spell it out for you?" I looked at the both of them. Jacob lowered his eyes as if in shame and ran his hand through his hair which was growing again, much to my liking. He opened his mouth to say something and closed it again. "Yeah," he finally said, "You're right. I'll try to get along with him Bella. But don't expect too much."  
"Of course not Jake," I replied, "Thank you for understanding me so easily. You've always been able to do that." He smiled at me and I could see that he was trying to hide his smugness for being able to understand me during a time when Edward had caused me to become totally misunderstood.  
"No," Edward said, "It's either me or him. You can't have it both ways Bella. I won't allow you to be near him. He's dangerous and so are his friends. You have to forget about him now or forget about me."  
This was unfair. He knew I loved him and I didn't want to lose him. He knew it would break me if I ever lost him, but Jake was my best friend and I needed him in my life; hell Jake was like family to me. He was like the brother I had never had even though I knew that he had different feelings for me. But we had sorted it out. I looked up at Edward with disgust on my face. I wanted to slap him but couldn't bring myself to do it; I knew that if I lost him again, I wouldn't be able to make it. So I closed my eyes as a tear ran down my cheek and Jacob's motorbike drove away back to the reservation. _

I had been angry with him these past two days but he had told me that it was for my own safety.  
"I hung out with Jake and his friends all the time when I was here alone," I had told him that morning.  
"I don't care," he said, "I don't want to hear it. You were stupid enough to put yourself in danger but now I'm here to look out for you and nothing and nobody is ever going to touch or hurt you again Bella."  
"Edward," I said, "You hurt me when you made me let go of my best friend. That was difficult for me."  
"I only did it for your own safety and to prevent a worse pain," he told me as he continued to organize his CDs. This didn't even bother him in the least; the fact that I was suffering the loss of my best friend. And now here he was, pushing away his very own brother. I couldn't believe this. Carlisle would be very disappointed. 

"Edward," I said, coming back to the present situation with Jasper and our co-incidental encounter,  
"So is it gonna be this way from now on? First Jake and now Jasper? Are you going to push everyone away until it's just you and me? The next thing I know is you'll push Alice away and I won't forgive you. Please don't push your brother away. He means me no harm. He can control himself."  
"No he can't," Edward hissed, "He can't control himself just like he couldn't control himself before."  
"Stop it," I replied, "Stop it. It was not his fault. You did not act like him but you wanted to so don't say that _he_ is the monster. None of you are monsters to me Edward. Just…I don't want to be away from any member of your family. I've missed you all so much, and Jasper and I have not even spoken yet ever since you guys came back. All I've heard from him is the word 'yes' during the vote your family took."  
"That shows just how mature he is; saying yes to something like this," Edward huffed mockingly.  
"So Carlisle and Esme are immature to you too Edward?" I asked, "Is that it? Cos they said yes too."  
"Carlisle and Esme are not monsters Bella," Edward told me. I felt a sudden rush of pain coming from the opposite side of the room and then felt the unnatural wind blow past as Jasper ran off, somewhere away from the Cullen home. And it was all Edward's fault. Hell, everything was changing, and my head was starting so spin. I didn't like it and I never would, but I knew I couldn't stop it…any of it.

**I hope you liked that :) Please review! I know this might be a bit boring but it's the first chapter. I promise that it will become more exciting. There is a lot of romance and a LOT of drama to come, trust me :) The next chapter will have some hurt and drama in it I promise. Please give my fanfic a chance. I'm sure you'll like it once you read more than just this one chapter.**

**Peace out peeps :)**

**Jess**


	2. Chapter 2 : Pain and Comfort

_**Hi, thank you to my first four reviewers: SailorJupiterFan'96, ArleneValdez, badrose7 and shanny101. I promise I'll keep on going. Don't worry badrose7 – you're gonna get what you want in this chapter or the following one (depends on how long I make this one).**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own The Twilight Saga. **_

**Chapter 2: Pain and Comfort**

**Bella's POV **

It had been two weeks and Jasper had been locked away in his room with Alice the whole time I was in the house. This saddened me and I couldn't tell Carlisle or Esme; I didn't want to hurt them with the disappointment caused by their stubborn son. And this was my entire fault anyway. I was with Edward in his room and again, he was organizing some of his stuff; this time it was his sheet music. He was trying to protect me from something which I didn't want to be protected from. He was trying to protect me from the supernatural but I didn't want to be protected from it.

"I miss Jacob," I said softly, "I want to talk to him. He must be so mad right now and probably hurting too."  
"I don't care," he told me, "As long as you're safe with me I don't care about anyone or anything else."  
"How could you be so selfish?" I suddenly asked in a rage, "You don't even let your brother near me anymore! I'm not your slave Edward. I'm independent. I can do whatever I want. I thought you loved me and trusted me enough to know that. If you love someone you have to let them out of the cage."  
"Well I can't afford to do that. Both Jacob and Jasper are stronger than you are and they can easily hurt you."  
"Neither one of them would hurt me. You would see that for yourself if you gave them a chance."  
"Look Bella," he said, "you're mine and that is never going to change. You're not going to go off with Jacob."  
"What's that got to do with anything? Jacob is my best friend; he's like a brother, and that does not settle the Jasper issue. Jasper is a part of your family just like Alice and all the others and it's not fair on him."  
He looked at me as if I had said the stupid thing possible and I scowled at him. How could he treat me and his brother and my best friend like this? This had to stop. He had to learn somehow that I was independent.  
"This is not 1918 anymore Edward. Things have changed. And don't blame Jacob for your jealousy or your lack of faith. _You_ were the one who left me alone to crumble in despair while you were gone. And he was the one to pick up the pieces. I should at least be able to see him; I owe him that much."  
"You're never gonna let this go are you?" He asked between gritted teeth, "You're never gonna let me forget."  
"Maybe it's because you need to remember Edward, that all of this has happened because of you. Jasper used to be nice to me and now because of you he doesn't even speak to me any longer. Alice must be hurting because of this. You don't trust her enough to know that she would see if something would happen, and you don't trust Jasper enough to know that he can control himself. It's not his fault that he smelled my blood and wanted it. You want my blood all the time. You don't act upon it cos you're so damn stubborn and full of stupid morals. Otherwise you would have drained me of my blood on my birthday and Jasper would have been the one to pull you off of me along with Carlisle and Emmett and with Alice screaming at you to stop and Esme helping me out; maybe even Rosalie. Your family cares more about me than you do. And I care about them. So don't push them away."

Suddenly he was standing right in front of me, our faces touching. I hadn't even had the chance to see him changing position. This meant trouble. If he was using vampire speed, he was really angry. His eyes were rimmed with red. It was like all of the fury inside his heart had been released like one of those mountain lions he enjoyed draining of blood. He was mad at me and right now I couldn't see any love in his pitch black eyes. He was too mad at me to feel anything except rage, hatred and thirst. He was inching closer to me and I was with my back against the wall. My words had triggered his thirst and he was all animal right now. His lips were already parted and I could swear that he had just hissed at me. I felt nothing but fear at that moment; no regret – I had stood up for his family…_my_ future family…and my best friend. And I would do it all over again if I ever got the chance. He was not touching me but I knew that his teeth would sink into my skin at any moment now. I didn't know why he was taking this slowly. Was he just trying to frighten me or was he really going to do it? My heart was breaking and I realized I was no longer looking at my Junior year Edward. I realized that I was looking at the monster he so often compared himself to. But not all vampires were monsters; the rest of the Cullens weren't. It dawned on me that the Edward I had known and loved had left me the previous September after my birthday and a stranger had returned to replace him. My heart tore out any love I had felt for him. I wanted to slap him but I didn't want to trigger his anger. Sure, I wanted to become a vampire, but I didn't want him to kill me. Suddenly there was a flash and instead of facing Edward, I was facing someone else's back. I looked up and I saw a head of honey blonde curls. Jasper was here. What was he doing here and so close to me? Edward would kill him. They weren't speaking but I knew that Jasper was communicating with Edward in his mind. I looked from behind him and I could see that Edward was infuriated. So Jasper was standing up for me, and Edward hated it?

This hurt more than the realization that he was about to kill me had hurt me. I wanted to die on the spot. I slid down the wall and started to cry silently. How had it ended up like this? I closed my eyes and I suddenly felt calm. My eyelids fluttered open and I realized that I was no longer in Edward's room. I was in Jasper and Alice's room now. I looked around me and realized that Jasper was sitting down across the room and he was concentrating on me.

"Thanks," I said, "For coming in there and for projecting calmness over me. Don't think I didn't notice."  
He smiled at me. "Edward's mad at me," he told me, "He said I shouldn't have intruded."  
"Why did you?" I asked, "I mean you didn't intrude, but you came in there and stopped him from doing it."  
"I feel very protective of you Bella," he told me, "I think it's mainly because of the guilt I feel for what happened."  
"Jasper," I said, "Please stop. None of it was your fault. I hate it when people feel guilty for something that was my fault and mine only. Jasper I hate to see you like this, and Alice probably hates it too."  
"I guess," Jasper replied. He seemed unsure of what he was saying. I saw him hesitate and then he said, "I know you're in pain. I could feel it. I'm sorry Bella. It's not my fault that I'm an empath, but I could help you. You know that right? And Bella, thank you for standing up for me with Edward. I appreciate it."  
I looked at him. His Southern accent had slipped on 'appreciate' and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I could feel my heart pounding against my chest as a blush crawled up my face. I had never realized that Jasper's smile and his accent were so warm and endearing.

**Jasper's POV**

I looked at Bella. I could hear her heart pounding in her chest and a sweet blush crawled up her cheeks. I worried that she was afraid of me. But there was no fear coming from her. I wondered if she was trying to mask it but all I could get from her was a mixture of jumbled emotions and I couldn't decipher them. I could feel rage coming from Edward's room.

"What did you tell Edward?" she asked me, "I'm not a mind-reader. I didn't hear your thoughts." She smiled.  
"I just told him that you were afraid of him. He whispered that it was the intended effect and when I asked why he said that he wants you to stay away from anything supernatural except for him. I reminded him that the idea hadn't worked out very well when he had done it in September and he wanted to kill me. I could feel it. He hates it when we bring that up, but I couldn't not bring it up," I said. My accent slipped again and if I had the ability to blush, I knew that I would be a beetroot red by now.  
"You're projecting embarrassment," Bella said, "What are you embarrassed about? You only said nice things."  
"My accent," I said. She suddenly laughed and without knowing why I felt hurt. I didn't want her to laugh at me. "I know it's stupid," I said, "But I can't help it." She looked at me and suddenly stopped laughing.  
"I don't think it's stupid," she said, "I wasn't laughing at you Jasper. I was laughing at the fact that you were embarrassed of it. I think your accent's sweet…kind of warm and endearing. It suits you."  
"Thank you then," I told her. Ok I would definitely look like a tomato had I the ability to blush.  
"How old were you Jasper…when you were changed?" she asked me. She was curious. She wasn't trying to pry. She was just trying to get to know me a little bit better. I was the only Cullen she hadn't gotten to know very well, apart from Rosalie who despised her. "You don't have to say if you don't want to."  
"No," I replied, "I want to. How old do you take me for when you look at me?" She looked at my face.  
"Eighteen…nineteen at most?" she asked me. She had been pretty close. I smiled at her.  
"I was twenty," I told her, "and now I'm a hundred and sixty seven years old. I'm very old."  
"I don't think you're old," she told me, "You're frozen at twenty. That doesn't make you old."  
I had never seen it that way. I smiled at her, "Thanks Bella. That was very kind of you. Carlisle was right."  
"About what?" she asked me.

"Carlisle told me that you were very gracious about us vampires," I told her. I looked at the time. It was around seven thirty in the evening, "Speaking of which, do you want me to get Carlisle to take you home? Your father will be worried if you don't get there soon. You've been at our house since nine in the morning." As soon as I mentioned Carlisle's name, fear and uncertainty erupted from the pit of her stomach.  
"No," she said, "Carlisle and Esme can't know about what Edward was going to do. They'll be so disappointed."  
"Bella," I replied, "What he did was wrong. He got angry just because you reminded him that he was like us too. What were you saying about Jacob? Even during the last confrontation with Edward, you mentioned him and said that Edward had pushed him away and you warned him not to push _us_ away too."  
"Jacob came to see me at school but Edward made me choose and Jacob left. He must be in so much pain."  
I handed her my cell phone, "Call him Bella," I said. I heard a hiss coming from Edward's room but I replied in my mind. _It's your fault. You should have allowed her the freedom she desired. You didn't._

Bella dialed Jacob's number and he picked up on the second ring, "Who is this?" I didn't mean to overhear but it's not my fault that I have superhearing. _Do you want me to leave you alone?_ I mouthed. She shook her head and projected fear. She was afraid of Edward. I needed to stay with her or at least get someone else. But I had nowhere to go. I could afford to spend a few more minutes with her.  
"Jake it's me," she said, "Don't hang up. I wanted to call you but he didn't leave me alone for one single minute."  
"Whose phone is this anyway?" I heard Jacob ask her, "It's not your number or Charlie's. And I have a feeling that it's not _his_ either. So whose phone are you calling me from?"

"It's Jasper's phone," she said, "Jasper lent me his phone so that I could talk to you."  
"A bloodsucker?" I heard him asked, "So they're not on _his_ side? I thought Jasper was the blonde one, his brother. They used to be pretty good friends. Or was I mistaken Bells?" I could tell that the use of his old nickname for her made her feel happy, accepted and welcome. And I was happy for her.  
"Well, Edward doesn't want me with _them_ either. He wants to be the only supernatural being in my world."  
"Possessive much?" Jacob asked, "Don't let him tell you what to do Bells. I know you love him but-"  
She cut him off, "I don't…not anymore…he changed. Jake, he's not the same guy I loved last year. He left and the old Edward stayed away. This guy here is a stranger." I could hear him catch his breath, and without knowing why, something inside me moved when she had said she didn't love Edward anymore.  
"We're still just friends Jake," she told him, "I mean you're like my brother. I can't bring myself to have different feelings for you. It's not because of him. I would never love someone and leave them for someone else. But you're like a brother to me and I love you like a best friend. And that's how it will stay."  
"It's ok Bells," he told her, "I was just going to say how happy I was you didn't love him anymore. I hate the bloodsuckers but any one of them would be better than _him_. He was controlling your life."  
"I know," she told him, "But not anymore. Now we can be friends again Jake. I'll see you tomorrow."  
"Ok," he replied, "See you then. Take care Bells. I can't watch out for you on your right side of the line."  
"I'll be fine. He won't pull anything with Charlie around," she told him and then realized she had said too much.  
"What do you mean. Has he already hurt you?" Jacob asked. I could literally feel the anger in his voice.  
"No," she said, "he hasn't. I'm just saying. Just in case or something. He wouldn't, not with Charlie there."  
"Ok," he told her, "If you need anything call me. Screw the line. Or call your pixie friend or something."  
"Her name is Alice," she replied, "And she'll know if something were about to happen. She'd call me."  
"Ok," he replied, "good night Bells." She said goodnight to him and handed me the phone.  
"I'm sorry for wasting so many minutes," she told me. I could see the blush forming on her cheeks again.  
"Bella," I told her, "I don't care about the minutes. You haven't spoken to him in ages. It's ok."  
"Thank you Jasper. This is so nice of you," she replied. "Come on let's get you home," I said.  
"Don't tell Carlisle."

Edward busted into the room. "I'll take you home. I won't hurt you," he told her, "I promise." He was projecting honesty. I looked at her and nodded. She nodded back and mumbled a thanks and then followed him with her eyes glued to the floor. I hated seeing her like this, and then I felt a warmth stronger than I had ever felt before, even long before my secret divorce from Alice when I had loved her. It was different and I hoped that Edward had not heard my thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3 : Breaking Up

_**I love you all my sweet reviewers :D Oh my God you like the story already and the fun part has not even begun yet! I love Jasper and Bella :D **_

_**I hope you enjoy the following chapter**_

**Chapter 3 – Breaking Up **

**Bella's POV**

The drive home was silent. Edward barely looked at me. His dark cold eyes were dead set on the road ahead of him. I didn't really want to talk to him. I just wanted it to be over and that required some form of conversation. He stopped the car in front of my house and I walked in.

"I was worried," Charlie said as I entered the house, "I was about to call the Cullen residence."  
"Oh dad," I replied, "You don't have to worry. The Cullens are very good friends and I lose track of time there. I'm sorry. I forgot my cell phone here and I forgot to call you from any of their cells. I'm visiting Jacob tomorrow if that's ok with you. Is it?" He looked at me as a light shone in his eyes.

"Yeah sure Bells," he told me, "Now you should go upstairs. I'm soon going to bed too."  
"Ok," I replied, "good night." I trudged up the stairs and grabbed my bathroom bag and PJs. I headed to the bathroom and showered. I knew that Edward would probably stay away from my room that night after all that had happened. He was probably mad, but I needed to get this over with. Well, I'd call him tomorrow after I came home from La Push. I showered slowly to release all of the tension in my muscles. Jasper was not here to calm me down any more. _Jasper_, I thought as an unintended smile made its way across my face. I suddenly stopped moving as his smiling image popped into my head like a mirage and I got butterflies in my stomach. I wondered what this might mean. I definitely could _not_ fall for Jasper; he was Alice's and Alice was my best friend. I couldn't fall for him. But I shrugged it off as a result of his helping me out and standing up for me earlier. I heard Charlie going to bed while I was putting on my PJs and soon enough, light snores were coming from his room. Charlie was a pretty heavy sleeper. Only my screams had been able to wake him up when _he_ had left me alone. I was suddenly infuriated and I could feel my temperature rising. I walked out of the bathroom and went back to my room and I was shocked when I found him waiting for me on my bed as if nothing had happened. But his eyes told another story. They were as black as coal and as hard as stone, just like his skin. I wondered if Jasper's skin would feel as hard and rigid as his. Everything about him was so warm and nice and Southern…whoa stop right there Bella; don't go there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. My tone shocked me. I had never raised my voice like that at him before. He looked at me. There was anger and pain in his eyes but I couldn't forgive him now. He had gone way too far and he was a stranger; no longer my Edward. My Edward had died long ago.  
"Edward we need to talk," I added, a little bit softer this time. He nodded and I made my way to the bed and sat down next to him.

"What happened before…" he started, "I…I was wondering. Could you ever forgive me Bella?"  
"Edward," I said, "this is not about forgiveness. This is about who you have become. The old Edward left me last September and he never returned. You have come back a stranger and you've gone past the point of no return. It's too late now. Edward, we're through."

"But Bella I love you," he said. I could hear pain in his voice. I was not going to feel sorry for him.  
"You didn't love me enough to trust me," I replied, "Or to stop yourself from hurting me or scaring me."  
"I'm sorry," he told me, "I want to give it one more try if you would allow me. I love you Bella, it's true."  
"No Edward," I replied, "I'm going to stand my ground on this one. I hope we can still talk to each other like regular people but that's the way it's going to be. I cannot be more than a mere friend to you now."  
"But Bella," he said, "it will be dangerous. Now that the Volturi know about you, you can't leave the supernatural world unprotected. They would kill you. You need my protection to show them that you are still part of my world and planning to remain a part of my world for a very long time."  
"Edward," I replied as I sighed, "I'm definitely not leaving your world or your family. Your family is what I live for. I'm just not going to be your girlfriend any longer. I'm sure they would have no trouble with me there. Alice loves me like a sister as does Emmett, Carlisle and Esme love me like a daughter and Rosalie will come around. And Jasper respects me." Butterflies erupted in my stomach again as I said his name.  
"And what about me?" he asked me, "You didn't mention me. I love you more than any of them are capable of loving or caring for you. I protect you from everything and everyone that can be dangerous."  
"Shut up," I told him, "You're trying to protect me from something that I don't want to be protected from. Your family loves me and would never hurt me. The same goes for Jacob. You have to respect me and my independence. I have every right to make choices for myself and I know what's best for me."  
"You're a child Bella," he told me, "you don't know what you're talking about. They could all kill you."  
"You mean like you tried to do earlier?" I asked, "Cos that's what you were doing. You were gonna kill me. You were definitely _not_ going to change me Edward. I know you too well. So stop blaming people for weaknesses that you too possess. You're just as dangerous as any one of them, maybe even more. And don't call me a child Edward. I'm not a child. I'm as mature as you ever will be."  
"Why?" he asked me, anguish breaking his once musical voice. But his voice was nothing next to Jasper's calm and collected manner of speaking, next to his warm Southern drawl, his gentlemanly expressions. I seriously had to stop thinking about Jasper this way. He was my best friend's husband for crying out loud.

"Edward," I said, "I don't ever want to be with you again. I'm sorry that I'm leaving you the way you left me before but I am sure you can find someone better than me and something better to do with your time than hanging around with me and being over-protective of me or trying to save me from myself.  
"If you wish," he told me, "I cannot force you to be with me against your will Bella. I'm not that type of guy. Maybe I love you more than you know and maybe I have been possessive but I cannot force you to love me back. I just want to make one request. I ask you not to fall in love with one of my kind again. I couldn't bear the thought of you being so close to someone who can hurt you so easily."  
"Edward," I said, "I loved the person you were before you left. You're a stranger now. And I cannot promise you anything. You can't control who you fall in love with. Besides, the supernatural has become my reason for living and I still hope to become like you one day. So I can't promise you something which I cannot keep for sure. I'm sorry Edward. The time we shared before my birthday was the best ever."  
"Ok Bella," he told me, "Good night and good luck. I guess I'll see you when you come to visit Alice and the rest of them since we're on summer break now. Take care of yourself." He kissed me once on the forehead and jumped out of my window exiting my life for the very last time. I lay down in bed and closed my eyes. I soon entered a beautiful dream. I was in the clearing the Cullens had used to play baseball when we had first encountered James, Laurent and Victoria. The sun was shining. I was lying down on the grass face up with my eyes closed but I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face. I felt a cold arm winding its way around my back and to my side. I smiled softly and then I looked to my left and looked into his beautiful topaz eyes with his long brown lashes underneath those beautiful brows. I laughed as I blew into his face to get that wonderful lock of stray hair out of his eyes.

"Oh Jasper," I said. I sat up in bed in shock and looked around me. I had butterflies bumping around in my stomach as if they were trying to escape a musty cage. I couldn't believe it. I was truly falling for Jasper. But I couldn't. He was Alice's husband and I would not ruin their love for my own selfish purposes.

**Jasper's POV**

I couldn't stop pacing across the room while Edward was taking Bella home. I didn't want anything bad to happen to her. I was suddenly feeling very protective of her; not possessive, but protective. I knew I wouldn't be able to cope if something happened to her now. I wanted to follow them but she needed some privacy and I was not going to deny her that. Alice would know if something bad was about to happen to her. I guess she hadn't called earlier because she had known I would go in to help her. Alice had been out shopping all day and she had just returned with a big smile plastered on her face. She wrapped her arms around me as soon as she arrived and she whispered in my ear to tell me that she knew I had figured out my feelings for Bella and that she couldn't be happier. I told her that I didn't want to know what Bella thought of me because I wanted to hear it from her myself and she motioned as if to zip her lips shut and throw away the key. She also assured me that Bella was going to be fine. Alice and I had been working really hard these past five years to block out any thoughts of the divorce when Edward was around. We did not want to cause any tension in our family. Alice and I were still the best of friends but we had decided to part ways when we just didn't feel that type of love towards each other anymore. I still cared about her. She was still the best friend I had in the whole family but we weren't lovers. She held my hand in front of the others to keep up the show but we never ever kissed and we definitely did not make love any longer. I couldn't stop thinking about Bella. I felt a sudden rush of pain coming from outside and getting nearer and nearer. I realized that it was Edward as soon as he entered his room. Bella had broken up with him. I couldn't help but to feel torn. I was happy for Bella because she was now out of his possessive grasp, I was happy for myself because I was now free to like her and I was sad for Edward because despite of his possessiveness he truly loved Bella. I stopped myself. I could _not_ like my brother's ex-girlfriend. We had to remain just friends. No matter how much warmth she made me feel and no matter how carefree I felt when I was around her and no matter how many butterflies erupted within me the moment she blushed, smiled or spoke with that silky voice of hers, I couldn't let myself go too far. She was still my brother's ex-girlfriend and I would stay back. Alice frowned at me the next time she saw me. She had seen my decision but I told her that it was for the best and she reluctantly agreed. I also told myself that Bella would never like me back. She had been crazy for Edward. He looked more beautiful than I ever would with his bronze hair and the face of a boy. I was filled with battle scars from my earlier years with newborns and I was older than Edward. Bella would think I was ancient. No…I had to stop thinking of her like that. She would always be my brother's ex-girlfriend. But the butterflies wouldn't die and if I hadn't known of my still heart, I could have sworn it was trying to beat its way out of my body. I knew instantly, I was in love.


	4. Chapter 4 : Best Friends Forever

_**A.N: Thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers :D Thanks to all of you, I am being encouraged to write, write and write more :D There isn't going to be communication between Jasper and Bella in this chapter but I am thinking of writing out and uploading another chapter by tonight which **_**will**_** include Jasper and Bella **_**a lot**_**. Enjoy and review :D**_

**Chapter 4 – Best Friends Forever**

**Bella's POV**

I couldn't sleep again that night. I kept thinking about Jasper. This couldn't carry on. I love Alice; she's my best friend and he's her husband. I couldn't take him away from her. But his voice and his wonderful accent kept ringing and ringing inside my head and that smile and the way he had protected me from Edward; everything was drawing me into him. I knew that I was falling hard from him. But I couldn't act on what I felt. He was my best friend's husband and Edward's brother. I couldn't do that, especially to Alice.

So the following morning, I waited no longer. It was still seven am but I couldn't stand being in bed for another minute so I showered, wore a pair of old worn out jeans and a green and white striped stretch cotton t-shirt and tripped my way downstairs to breakfast. I poured myself some cereal. Charlie was already downstairs reading the paper in full uniform. He only needed to put on his holster before being ready to go to work.

"Morning Bells," he said, "You're up early. Is something the matter? You know you can talk to me kid."  
"Oh no," I replied, "I couldn't sleep well. I'm going to have some cereal, wait for an hour until Jacob's awake and then go visit him on the reservation. It's been about three weeks since I last saw him. I miss him."  
"I think it's gonna be longer than an hour until he wakes up," Charlie chuckled, "Billy says nothing wakes that boy up. But Billy wouldn't mind having you over until Jacob wakes up. He said you're always welcome there. Bells, why are you going this early? Is it because of Edward? I know he doesn't like Jacob."  
"Oh no dad," I replied, "I broke up with him. It's not because of him. I just couldn't sleep that's all."  
"Wait, you say you broke up with him?" he asked me, "Why Bella? Did he hurt you?"  
"No dad," I replied, "It's not like that. We just parted ways that's all. I'm still gonna hang out with the Cullens though. They're still my friends. Edward's just not my boyfriend any longer that's all."  
"Oh," he said, "Ok. I feel better now that you've told me that. I think this'll be a great day." He stood up, folded the paper and left it on the table. He had a smile plastered onto his face and I hadn't seen him smile like that since before I had started dating Edward. I had really screwed up with him. I hadn't noticed before how unhappy it had made Charlie. He walked over to his holster and strapped it on and then he waved me goodbye and left. As I've said before, Charlie doesn't hover; he just says what he feels he needs to say and then leaves you to your thoughts. I wondered how he would feel about Jasper.

NO BELLA DON'T GO THERE, I shouted internally. I wanted to slap myself for thinking about Jasper this way. Alice would be so hurt if she knew. I knew that I had to tell her, so I decided I would visit her or call her to meet up after my day at La Push. I decided not to wait for another hour, so I washed and dried my bowl and spoon and I went out to my truck. It rumbled to life and I started driving to the reservation. When I got there, I could see Sam, Paul, Jared and Embry cliff diving. Sam saw me driving by and he waved so I stuck my head out of the truck window and waved back at him. Sam was really a nice guy once you got to know him. I felt mad at myself for having misjudged him so badly before. But in my defense, I was biased – Jacob had despised him. I parked my truck on the road and walked up to Billy's door. I knocked and soon enough, I heard the squeak of his wheels. He soon opened the door and his face lit up. He had on an expression of surprise and worry at the same time.

"Hey Billy," I said, "You look worried. What's wrong? Did something bad happen to Jacob? Is he okay?"  
"No Bella," he replied, "I'm worried about you. You haven't been here in so long. Did something bad happen?"  
"Oh no Billy," I told him, "Nothing to worry about. I just came to drag your son out of bed and hang out with him all day. Sam and the others are out cliff diving so I don't think they'll miss him. Sam saw me and he waved at me so I don't think they'll mind me borrowing him for the day. May I come in?"  
"Sure Bella," Billy said as he finally relaxed, "I'm so happy to see you here again. We've missed you."  
"I've missed you guys too. I forgot how warm this place felt. Well I guess it's inevitable with a shape-shifter living here full time. This was really comfortable during winter but right now it's getting really hot. Well I guess it reminds me of Phoenix. It feels so much like Phoenix. Wow. It feels familiar."  
"Bella," Billy said as he chuckled, "Breathe. You haven't stopped talking since you got here."  
"I'm sorry," I said, "I haven't been here in a very long time. I kind of missed this place. So is he asleep?"  
"What do you think?" Billy asked, "It's still eight in the morning. We're complete opposites. I wake up at five and he wakes up at ten. That boy could sleep through World War three and not even notice."  
"I'm not gonna wait until ten but I'll hang out with you for another thirty minutes if you'd like to give him some more time to sleep." I said as I smiled. Billy smiled back and wheeled himself to the living room. The TV was on. He was watching a documentary. I sat down on the comfortable and familiar couch and joined him. We discussed our opinions on the documentary. It was about bears.

"It's nine," Billy said, "You gave him an hour Bella. Did you find the documentary that interesting?"  
"Yeah," I replied, "I guess. It surprises me. But I didn't see the time going by. Ok I'm gonna go wake him."  
I hopped to Jacob's room and opened the door. He was sprawled on the bed, snoring lightly and wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. I walked up to him and shook him. He tried to shrug me off and I tried to pull him off the bed but he was too heavy for me. So I shook him harder. His eyes fluttered open and it took him a moment to register the surroundings. His brown eyes shone when he saw me.

"Bella!" he exclaimed. He jumped off the bed and picked me up into a squashing hug. He let me go when he realized I was struggling to breathe and then he followed me to the kitchen where Billy was already making him some breakfast. He was cooking bacon and eggs and Jacob went to the counter to make himself some toast as well. He asked whether I wanted any but I said no as I had already had my cereal and it would keep me full until at least two in the afternoon. After wolfing down his breakfast (how ironic), we went out to the beach. It had been so long since I had come here. I hadn't been here since before graduation.

"What made you break up with him Bells?" he asked me, "Be honest. Did he hurt you?" I remained silent and then I looked up at him. I knew that I could trust him but I was afraid that he might break the treaty and hurt one of the Cullens whom I too considered to be my family. I opened my mouth to tell him but decided to warn him beforehand so that I could avoid any unnecessary pain for myself and others.  
"Jacob, when I tell you, you have to promise me that you will not hurt any one of the Cullens."  
"I promise," he told me, "You know I hold on to my promises well Bella. You remember right, how sorry I felt when I had to break one? And it wasn't even my fault Bella. You know that right?"  
"I trust you Jacob, I know and it's ok. Well, you know how Edward was becoming all possessive of me. Well, it wasn't just about you…he didn't even let me speak to Jasper and he was starting to get possessive of me even around other family members. As if any of them would hurt me. As if _you_ would hurt me. Then something slipped out. He was totally afraid that I was going to cheat on him with you. And then I started to wonder whether he was really protective of me or just possessive. Well I said some things in a rage and he started to scare me. He was so angry. Well Jasper's an empath; he can feel other people's emotions in waves. And well he couldn't help but to listen in to our conversation and when he felt my fear and his fury, he came to Edward's room to protect me. I spent some time with him and told him about how Edward had not let me be your friend anymore and he gave me his cell phone so that I could call you. Edward was so angry. I broke up with him last night. So that's the story Jake," I said.  
"Oh Bella," he told me. He pulled me into a warm hug. I returned it, wrapping my arms around his waist.  
"So don't you love him anymore?" he asked, "Or is this just because you didn't like what he did to you?"  
"Jake," I said, "When he came back, he was just not the same Edward that had left me. That Edward is gone and he died along with my love for him. I need to talk to you but you have to promise you won't tell anyone. I mean, I know the pack will probably hear it in your head, but try to block it out. I just need to tell someone cos it's killing me and I can't do anything about it. I love Alice too much for this."  
"What's wrong Bells?" he asked me, "You can tell me anything. We've established that there's only friendship between us and I'm not going to force you to love me more. But I'll be anything you want."  
"You're my brother Jacob, my brother and my best friend." He smiled at me when I said that and motioned for me to carry on. So I did. "Jake, I think I'm falling for Jasper. I tried to shrug it off as a result of him being nice to me, but I can't stop dreaming or thinking about him. Everything's so nice about him."  
"But all of this just happened in a day?" he told me, "As far as I remember, you haven't really ever talked to him apart from yesterday."

"Yeah," I said, "But it hit me like a bolt of lightning. It's nothing like I've ever felt before, even for Edward. I would have to get to know Jasper better if I were to act on my feelings but I'm not."  
"Why?" Jake asked me, "Is something bothering you about him? Or would the Cullens hate you if you started seeing another one of their sons instead of Edward? I mean, sure I dislike them, but Dr. Fang seems nice and accepting and that wife of his seems nice as well. They don't really look like leeches."  
"They're not 'leeches' as you put it," I said as I slapped him on the arm, "And it's not about them. It's about Alice. Jasper is her husband Jake. Alice is my other best friend, and I can't hurt her like that. She means too much to me. She means as much as you do. You're my two best friends; both like brother and sister to me, and I can't lose either one of you. Sure I would have had to stay away from the both of you if Edward had made me but I can't lose you forever." Without knowing how I started to cry.  
"Well," he told me, "I think you should tell her. But you're right about not acting on it. It's not because I want you for myself. But if she means to you as much as you mean to me, I don't think you could handle it if you lost her. I looked at him and then I hugged him gently and he wrapped his arms around me.  
"Oh Bella," he told me, "What are we gonna do with you?"

We spent the rest of the day just hanging out and catching up and it lightened up my mood. I left the reservation at around four pm and promised Jake that I would visit him again soon. He hugged me tightly before I got into my truck and drove to the Cullen residence.

Alice had seen me wanting to talk to her and she was waiting for me in the living room. She dragged me upstairs to the room she shared with Jasper. Jasper was in fact nowhere to be seen.  
"Did you throw Jasper out?" I asked her jokingly, "He's not in here. He likes wallowing up here."  
"Yeah," she told me, "I saw that you needed some private girl time and I shooed everyone out except Carlisle and Esme cos they don't snoop around.

"What about Edward?" I asked her, "Is he gone too? Cos I can't say anything in front of him."  
"Oh don't worry. I shooed him out first. I saw what happened yesterday. I'm so mad at him. But it may have led to something really good so I might thank him later." She had a mischievous glint in her eyes.  
"Alice I need to talk to you but I have to tell you beforehand that I'm not going to act on what I've found out. I respect you too much for that. I hope you know that Alice. You're like a sister to me," I said.  
"I know that Bella," she told me, "Now tell me what I think I already know. And I kind of figured out that you won't act on what I think I know and it's making me really mad at you cos you don't know half the story."  
"Alice, I'm developing feelings for Jasper. I'm sorry. I won't do anything about it, I promise," I told her. Her reaction was rather unexpected. She first started clapping and then frowned at the end of my declaration.  
"Why not?" she asked me, "You like him so much. I can hear your heart hammering and you're blushing."  
"He's my best friend's husband Alice. Are you crazy? You _want_ me to take him away? What did he do?"  
"Oh Bella," she told me, "he didn't do anything and you won't 'take him away'. Jasper and I have been secretly divorced for the past five years. We realized that the feelings we had once shared had long died out and we parted ways. We're best friends now. The hand-holding and other affectionate motions – they're all just so that we can keep our family strong. We didn't want any tension, that's all. We're still best friends but no kissing or other stuff… you're the only one who knows now. We've been blocking it from Edward for the past five years and it's been really hard. It's hard not to slip up once."  
"Divorced? But you're so good together Alice, why?" I asked her. I couldn't believe this.  
"I just told you why Bella," she told me, "We just didn't love each other in that way anymore. I want you to be with Jasper. To tell him how you feel. You both deserve to be loved."

"Alice," I said, "there's another problem. What if Edward hurts him? What if he's so mad that he hurts Jasper?"  
"Why would he hurt Jasper? I'm more worried about you, but Jasper and I will both protect you."  
"No," I told her, "It doesn't matter. I'm not important. But Jasper is his brother and he is starting to mean a lot to me. Carlisle and Esme would be devastated. No it can't happen. I can't let that happen."  
"It won't happen," Alice said, "I can see it coming if it was gonna happen and I would stop it."  
"He won't even like me back," I told her, "He doesn't even know me. He just felt responsible for Edward yesterday that's all. He probably feels obliged towards me for that stupid incident in September. He's never gonna forgive himself is he? God, he's as stubborn as I am," I told her. Alice laughed and shook her head.

"Well," she told me, "Then you should start getting to know him. They're all coming back in about three minutes. Trust me, I've seen it. And I'll keep the others busy. Nobody will listen in, I promise."  
"Oh Alice," I said, "You're the best friend ever. I'm sure he won't like me but thanks for the chance."  
"It's ok. I want this to happen," she told me, "I love you both. You're both my best friends."  
"Alice," I told her, "If the rest of the family doesn't know about your divorce, how would they take it if something did happen between me and Jasper? They would hate me. Except for Carlisle and Esme who are not able to hate anyone."

"Don't worry," she told me, "If anything happens, Jasper and I will make it clear. We'll tell them all the truth. And nobody can hate you. You're adorable."

I looked at her and blushed. She kissed me on the cheek and hopped downstairs, leaving me in her room waiting for Jasper. _Oh my God,_ I thought, _what am I getting myself into?_

_**So tell me what you think. Next chapter is gonna be just Jasper and Bella getting to know each other better. Review …please? :D**_


	5. Chapter 5 : Beginnings

_**Ok so this chapter is going to be more exciting for all JasperxBella lovers :) Please review :D I smile so hard when you guys review.**____**SailorJupiterFan'96**__** – you are definitely my biggest fan and this chapter goes to you :) **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. If I did I would probably put Bella with Jasper, although I do love the Edward/Bella story as well. Those books are amazing :) **_

**Chapter 5 : Beginnings**

**Bella's POV**

I looked around myself. The last time I had been here, I hadn't really paid any attention to Alice and Jasper's room at all. I had been too focused on Jasper. This made me blush but I shook my head and felt my face paling again. The room was beautiful. It had an off-white creamy colour with a dark brown wall border running horizontally across the middle of all four walls. The border consisted of squares within squares of different shades of brown. The floor was made of parquet and the ceiling was painted the same shade of brown which was mostly predominant in the border. A modern chandelier hung from the middle of the ceiling. It hung gracefully, supported by bronze-coloured metal and ending in light-bulbs which had shades shaped like blooming petals. The shades were off-white as well. In the middle of the room, there was a huge four-poster bed with a canopy. The canopy was different; modern. It consisted of two off-white sheets hanging horizontally across the two sides of the bed. The bed-sheets themselves were a very dark brown with some off-white complimentary pillows. Everything about this room reminded me of the Earth. There were two wonderful dark brown doors which looked like they were made out of Venetian blinds and I was positive that they were Alice and Jasper's closets. There was a dresser on one side of the room with a wonderful mirror and a desk on the other side. On the wall next to the door which led into the room was a huge bookshelf filled with books which squashed each other in order to fit. I was positive this was Jasper's. Alice hated reading anything that was not a fashion magazine. I was looking at the bookshelf when the door opened, and he walked in. His entry into the room gave rise to all the feelings that I had been trying to get a hold of earlier. Butterflies erupted from within my stomach and my heart was beating erratically. My breaths were becoming shallower and shorter and I could feel my skin becoming redder by the second. I tried to shake myself out of this embarrassing state but I wasn't able to. His beautiful blonde hair was so breathtaking and his golden eyes complimented one of the many shades of blonde so well. His skin went well with both his hair colour and his clothing choices. He just stood there in the doorway staring at me. He probably thought I was so stupid, staring at him like that with my mouth hanging open looking like a dead fish.

"Hi," I managed to breathe out. He snapped out of what seemed to be a daze and took a few steps into the room. He closed the door behind him and then looked at me as if he was surprised to see me there.  
"Alice said that she needed me to get her a handbag from our room. She never mentioned you…"  
"Oh," I replied, "Um…ok…but I'm sure she took her handbag with her Jasper. She was just in here."  
"Oh," he told me, "I'll go ask her. To check again." He tried to open the door but it was locked.  
"ALICE!" he shouted. We heard her giggling from downstairs. His eyes widened knowingly and he looked at me.

"Oh," he said, "how are you feeling Bella? How did it go yesterday with Edward and everything?"  
"I broke up with him," I told him, "I don't feel anything anymore. The feeling has been long gone. I was lying to myself. I didn't really know. I was broken when he left me and I was so relieved when I saved him from the Volturi, but when we returned and he showed me who he had become; I just didn't feel a thing towards him. He started to annoy me, much like Mike Newton. I'm not in love…with him, anymore."  
"I'm sorry Bella," he told me, "I really am." He sent over waves of sympathy and calm but I shook my head and smiled at him.

"There's nothing to feel sorry about Jasper," I said, "I'm happy about it. I feel released. He was controlling my every move. Don't you remember graduation last week? He had already established the rules for my communicating with you. Don't you remember what happened during the ceremony?" 

**Jasper's POV**

Of course I remembered. I had to work so hard to send off waves of calm towards Bella. She had been so embarrassed of Carlisle and Esme. I had gone over to congratulate her after she had obtained her diploma and Edward was at her side in an instant. He was scolding her like he would scold a child, and it was really my fault after all. I had been the one to go and congratulate her. But she had every right to be congratulated after all. She was so embarrassed that she was being treated like this in front of whom she was hoping would become her future adoptive parents. So I had done my best to send over waves of calm and serenity.

"Jasper, what's wrong?" a beautiful voice suddenly asked from far away, "Jasper. Jasper are you okay?" I snapped out of the memory and looked in front of me. She was standing inches away from my face and her hand was clasping mine. I knew I would blush if I could. I had all of the butterflies in the world right now.  
"Oh Bella, I'm sorry. I got a flashback of what happened during graduation," I told her, "I'm sorry."  
"It's ok," she said as she jumped back to her initial position, "You were just sending waves of fury and I was worried that something was wrong. I was worried that you were hurt or something like that." I could tell that she was feeling flustered and embarrassed so I sent over some more waves of calm.  
"It's nice of you when you do this," she told me, "I appreciate it Jasper. Look, I should be honest with you."  
"Of course Bella," I said.

"I know that you and Alice are divorced," she told me, "Alice told me earlier. I'm sorry Jasper."  
"What about?" I asked her, "Alice and I both agreed on the divorce. We just stopped loving each other in that way after some time. There's nothing to be sorry about Bella. I'm perfectly happy."  
"That's good to know," she told me as relief washed over her, "so do you like to read?" Her eyes immediately moved to my huge bookcase. I smiled at her and nodded, "Reading is my favourite pastime." _Apart from looking at and thinking of you darling,_ I thought. Oh God, I was already calling her darling in my head. Next thing I knew I would be serenading her in the moonlight with a rose in my mouth.  
"I love to read," she told me, "I'll never get tired of Wuthering Heights. It's my favourite."  
"Mine would have to be Great Expectations," I told her, "But I also enjoy Pride and Prejudice. I know it's pretty girly but I love the story. Have you read Jane Eyre Bella? If not, I can lend you mine. It's amazing."  
"I have read it actually, but I haven't read Great Expectations yet," she told me. I decided to lend her mine.  
"Do you like music?" I asked her out of the blue, "with me, it depends on the mood."  
"When Edward left, I started to hate music. It constantly reminded me of what I used to have but no longer possessed. When he came back, we didn't really listen to any music, but I occasionally enjoy listening to instrumentals, movie scores, and some indie music. When I'm depressed I tend to listen to rock music now. What about you?" she asked, "Do you enjoy listening to music? I know the genres I like are a bit out of the ordinary especially the movie score music but well that's one of the things that's different about me…one little thing that's not as boring and plain as I am…" I looked at her. Her eyes were nailed to the ground and her voice had become small and diminished. I took her hand in mine.  
"I like those genres of music too, but I disagree with you on something. You're far from either plain or boring Bella. You're a very fascinating person," I said. Her eyes slowly lifted themselves from the ground and met mine. She gazed deep into my eyes. I had never noticed what a beautiful shade of brown they were.  
"Just because Edward can't read my mind, and just because Aro can't read my mind, and just because my blood smells better doesn't make me special. It just makes me a freak of nature," she said softly.  
"I wasn't thinking about those things when I said that you were fascinating," I told her, "There are a lot of things that have been fascinating me about you lately Bella. Well, let's put it this way; I realized lately, but deep down they have fascinated me since I first laid eyes on you. You're beautiful Bella."

**Bella's POV**

I stared at him in shock. Had he just said that I was beautiful? Was this guy for real?

"I'm beautiful…_I_ am beautiful? Have you looked in a mirror lately?" I asked, "You should if you haven't." I took his hand in mine and he tagged along when I dragged him to the dresser with the mirror hanging on top of it. We both stood in front of the mirror. "Look at me and then look at yourself and you'll know what I'm talking about," I told him, "Just look into the mirror. Look at your hair and compare it to mine, and look at your eyes and compare them to mine, and just smile and look at your face. Or listen to your voice. Listen to how warm and sweet you sound when your accent slips. And _then_ compare…"  
"Have you just called me beautiful?" he asked me as he smirked. I felt myself melt inside that wonderful half smile of his. Why did he have to be so perfect? Edward was a wallflower next to this beautiful star.  
"Yes," I replied honestly, "I have." I could feel the scarlet shame climbing its way up to my cheeks.  
"Bella," he told me, "I'm not that beautiful. Look at all of these scars." He revealed his collarbone and his arms. He was covered in bite marks but all they did was make him more endearing and more real. Without knowing how, I reached my hand out and traced across one of the bite marks on his collarbone.  
"I think you're beautiful just the way you are," I told him, "You're more beautiful than Edward, Jazz."  
A wave of excitement hit me as soon as I used the short version of his name, "How did you get them?"

We sat down at the dresser on the long stool that was perched in front of it and he told me his story. He told me how he had been only seventeen when he joined the army and had lied about his age, claiming twenty. He told me how he had soon become the youngest major of Texas, and that was not considering his real age. Then he had been put in charge of a battle and had escorted survivors to Houston. One night, he encountered three women of unbelievable beauty; one of which was called Maria. She liked him because he seemed charismatic and she changed him. She had him help her create an army of newborns and he'd had to train them and use his gift to control their emotions. He told me of the blood he'd had to drink. He told me his entire story and about two of his friends, Peter and Charlotte who had shown him a different way of life; a life that was not filled with wars and hatred. He then described his meeting with Alice and how they had ended up with the Cullens. Jasper started to sob. I felt his pain and sadness washing over me and his embarrassment as well. I reached out and stroked his beautiful cheek. He looked into my eyes. I knew then that I cared for him. I knew that I loved him. And I knew that I would never want to leave this man's side.

"I'm a monster Bella," he told me, "I'm a sick monster with a bloodstained past."

**Jasper's POV**

"Jazz," she said. The use of my nickname gave me butterflies whenever it was uttered by her sweet voice. "You will never be a monster," she told me, "You're perfect Jasper." I knew that she had blurted it out because as soon as the phrase was out, her face became a beautiful shade of scarlet. She looked adorable whenever she blushed.

"I'm anything but perfect," I told her, "Need I remind you that I was about to kill you Bella?"  
"No you don't need to remind me," she told me, "Because I don't want to hear you say it again, ever. I hate it when you keep blaming yourself for something that was my fault. What did you expect? You're a vampire Jasper. I should be thanking you for _not_ killing me. I should be thanking you for when you protected me from James and Victoria. I should be thanking you from when you protected me from Edward."  
"Bella," I said, "Oh Bella…you are so selfless and loving. So forgiving…what are we going to do with you?"  
"Don't ever let me out of your lives just because I'm not with Edward anymore Jasper," she said, "That's all I want." I could sense from her emotions that there was something she wasn't telling me.  
"Is that really all you want?" I asked her. I was prepared to feel disappointed but I was excited at the same time. I wanted her to tell me that she wanted me forever. I had fallen for her and I had fallen hard. My dead heart had soared up into the Heavens ever since I had realized my feelings for her.  
"I-" she started, "I…" I felt embarrassment and hesitation flowing from her and a hell of a lot of anxiousness so I tried to send over a load of calm to keep her serene. Her features softened.  
"Thank you Jazz," she said as she smiled softly, "I want…I…I want _you_." I looked at her and she continued to speak, "I know that when we look in the mirror, I will never be half as beautiful as you are, never half as interesting and never half as special. But I swear, it's hit me like a bolt of lightning and it has happened fast. But I swear Jasper, I swear I'm falling in love with you."

We looked in the mirror at the same time. I moved closer to her and I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her softly on the cheek. This induced a beautiful blush. "Remember when you were asking me to look into the mirror and compare myself to you? I think your hair is a beautiful and rich chocolate brown as are your beautiful eyes. I never want to tear my own away from them. I think your smile is what makes me happiest – knowing that you are happy. Your voice is sweet Bella. And your blush is adorable. When I look in the mirror, I see a man who will never be half as beautiful as the girl…the woman sitting down next to him. I see me, a man who will never be half as beautiful as you. And I swear Bella, I swear I'm in love with you too."

**I hope you liked that :) Review! Tomorrow another chapter will come your way. I'll write it in the morning and there will be drama. You will love it. **

**Review please please please**

**Jess xx**


	6. Chapter 6 : Confrontations

_**A.N.: thank you for all the wonderful support. I just want to make something clear before I carry on. I like the way Stephanie Meyer wrote the books. I love the whole Edward-Bella love story. I'm not against Edward and Bella being together and I would have been shocked if Bella had left Edward and gone off with Jasper in the books. But I'm totally crazy about Jasper. And I think he would make a wonderful partner for Bella. I hope you're enjoying the story. People who are supporting Jasper in this story, will adore this chapter. I am one of them :)**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. (sorry if I did not include the disclaimer in all chapters – sometimes I forget ^^) **_

**Chapter 6: Confrontations**

**Bella's POV**

Jasper had just told me that he was in love with me and I was staring at him in shock. I didn't know how to react. I was both happy and confused and I wanted him to love me but this didn't feel right; moving on so fast from Edward. Somehow, I felt like I was jumping from one flower to the next, but I knew that my love for Edward had been over for months. I had been repaired during the time he had been away and when I finally saved him from the Volturi, it was like the epilogue of our love. So I had moved on after quite some time.

"Bella darling," Jasper said. Oh my God, he called me darling. It was so sweet the way he said it with his accent and his velvet voice. Oh gosh, it made me melt. "Bella…if you feel that we're going to fast, it's ok. I'm willing to wait for you. So just take your time to decide. I love you and that's not going to change."  
"I don't want to wait," I said, "I just felt a bit guilty for moving on so fast but I guess it was meant to be and it has been over for a long time. I was just not acknowledging it, that's all. Don't worry Jasper; I'll be yours whenever you ask me to. I love you too and that's not going to change for me either."  
"OK well," he told me, "Would you like to go on a date with me Bella?" Edward had never asked me on a date. He had been rude and distant and he had just popped into my life and my room But I had loved him then and so I had thought nothing of it. But Jasper was a gentleman. He asked before.  
"You're so sweet," I told him, "Edward never even asked for a date. I guess you're a gentleman. Yes, I'd like to go on a date with you. When should we set the said date? I'm so excited."  
"I can tell," he told me, "I can feel excitement emanating from you like bullets." He laughed; what a soft and sweet and carefree laugh he had.  
"So, what day and what time?" I asked.  
"How about next Saturday evening, I'll pick you up at around seven? State your preferred vehicle ma'am," he half smiled at me and after saying 'ma'am' I was a sucker for him.  
"Duh," I managed to blurt out, "I'm sorry, I was lost in your accent Jazz. Mmm, I like it. Depends on where you're taking me. Well, if it's somewhere in town I like motorbikes."  
"Great," he told me, "We'll use the Harley then."  
"Wow you have a Harley?" I asked.  
"Yeah," he replied, "I just bought it a couple of weeks ago. You'll be the first passenger."  
"That's so nice," I told him, "I love you."  
"I love you too Isabella," He told me, "And I can't believe you're mine."

Suddenly, he stood straight and stiff. I heard a door slam from somewhere down the corridor.  
"Jasper what is it?" 

**Jasper's POV**

I could feel his fury coming from his room. It felt horrible. I knew that he wanted to rip me apart and burn the pieces himself. I was afraid, afraid that he would hurt Bella. I heard him slamming his bedroom door and I knew he was coming to get me.

"Edward stop," I heard Alice shout as she ran up the stairs at vampire speed, "Stop it. Let it go."  
"No Alice," he growled, "I won't let it go. And I read his mind. I know about you two. I just heard Bella say it and Jasper think about it. So get out of my way, you liar."  
"I was trying to protect the family Edward," she told him, "We weren't lying to you."  
"Shut up. Let me go get rid of your ex-husband so that I may claim my girlfriend back."  
"She's not your girlfriend anymore. She dumped you with good reason."

I heard him snarl and she pushed him away but he pushed back.

"We have to get out of here," I told her, "he'll pull open the door and he'll hurt you."  
"He'll listen to me," she replied, "Go Jasper, run away. I'll distract him while you go very far."  
"No Bella," I replied, "I can't lose you. You can't get hurt. Please."  
"He won't hurt me, and if he does, it's ok. The worst that could happen is that I would die. You'd find someone else don't worry Jasper. Alice will take care of you if something happens. She's a good friend to me. But he can't find us together. He would rip you apart. If something happened to you, if you were ever gone from my life, I would kill myself."  
"Don't go there Bella," I told her, "It hasn't been long enough for you to love me that much. I tend to form strong bonds so with me it's possible but with you, not so much. You can't love me that much already; that you would kill yourself if I were gone. You didn't do that when Edward left."  
"That was different," she told me, "You make me feel different. You make me feel like who I really am, not like a child, but like a woman. And you respect me. And I've fallen for you. I can't imagine being without you after today. I've gone past the point of no return. Face it Jasper, I'm yours whether I live or die. Nobody else's – just yours."  
"Then go," I told her, "He'll take care of me and he'll leave you alone, but if he finds us together, he may hurt you."  
"I won't leave you," she told me.

I picked her up in my arms and I jumped through the window and ran as fast as I could to get away from my home and my brother. I could feel the fury getting closer and I knew he was following us. Edward was faster than me but I was more skilled. If it came down to a fight, I knew I would win. But I didn't want to kill him. He was still my brother, no matter what happened. I would just have to save Bella and let him do whatever he wanted with me. But she could not die. I would not let that happen. I ran through the forest with Bella in my arms at a magnificent speed. The hatred flowing from Edward towards me was unbelievable and his rage was animalistic. I was afraid for Bella and I was afraid for myself. But I preferred to die than to watch Bella suffer. The only thing that worried me about that scenario was that Bella would remain unprotected alone with him and he would harm her unless Alice caught up with him. I wondered if Alice was running after him or if she knew the outcome and had therefore decided not to worry. I could not get any further emotions except from Bella and Edward so I decided that it would not be that worrying. Edward eventually caught up with me and I stopped at a clearing and let Bella down. Edward stopped in front of us. His eyes were a pitch black and his mouth was curved widely to reveal his venom-coated teeth.

**Bella's POV**

Edward was looking at Jasper with hatred in his eyes.  
"Edward," I said, "What are you doing? Why are you here?"  
"I think you of all people should already know why I'm here," he said, "I'm here to claim you back."  
"I am not an object," I replied, "I am capable of making my own decisions."  
"You're a child Bella," Edward said, "You don't know what you want." He had the same look on as that day when he had come to Port Angeles and I had asked him to put his seat belt on.

"What the fuck are you staring at her like that for?" Jasper asked, "Bella is not a child. She's an eighteen-year –old girl who is far beyond her years. Bella is an independent woman Edward. She can make her own decisions. And although you're much older than she is, she's much more mature than you ever will be."  
"She's mature?" Edward asked as he scoffed, "She left me yesterday and came running to you and you were a fool to fall for it."  
"I stopped loving you long ago Edward and this just happened; I was not planning it," I suddenly said, "And Jasper is not a fool."  
"I can tell if her feelings are honest and true Edward, and they are," Jasper said, "I don't want to fight with you; you're my brother."  
"Some brother," Edward barked as he snarled, "You took her away from me. You manipulated her, didn't you? You made her feel like the woman she isn't so that she would like you more."  
"No he didn't," I told Edward, "But he didn't make me feel like the child I'm not either. Please Edward, just let it be."

Before I knew it, Edward was on top of Jasper and they were fighting. Jasper was better at this but Edward was faster. They were tumbling on top of each other, snarling and snapping their teeth and rolling over. Edward's hands were in Jasper's hair now and I was afraid that he would pull Jasper's hair out. No, not that beautiful golden hair. It would never grow back out – Jasper's body was frozen and his hair would not grow back. I couldn't let it happen.

"STOP!" I shouted, "Both of you, stop."  
They halted to look at me, "Get away from each other."

They both pulled away and stood at opposite sides of the clearing with me in the middle.  
"Jasper, don't fall down to his level. Remember how horrible you feel when you remember your past. Don't go there again. And Edward, please…don't hurt him. Remember who you are. Think of your father; think of how disappointed he would be. Edward, please…if you're mad…you should be mad at _me_. I'm the one who left you – nobody made me, and I'm the one who fell in love with Jasper. Please Edward, hurt _me_ instead. Kill me if you must, I don't care as long as you promise not to touch Jasper."

**Jasper's POV**

As soon as Bella uttered the words, Edward ran at vampire speed and was standing inches away from her face. I wanted to jump at him. I couldn't let him hurt her, but Bella had asked me not to. I had to abide by her wishes. I could only pray that he wouldn't hurt her. I sent over waves of calm towards him.

"Bella," he finally said, "I love you."  
"I know," She told him, "But love is sometimes not enough. I need a man who respects me for who I am. Edward I'm sorry but I have really fallen in love with Jasper, and I want to be with him. I know you can't accept that yet, but we can give you time. I don't want you to be mad at your brother. This was my choice. Jasper did not make me do anything. I know he would want me to decide for myself and so I am. I love him Edward."  
"And I will respect that," he told her, "Jasper is my brother. You're right, I acted childishly, but I love you and it hurts me to see you together."  
"I'm sorry," she replied, "But it hurt me when we were together too and you didn't allow me any space for myself. It's not my fault that we drifted apart. Look at Alice and Jasper. They divorced and they're still friends and she loves me like a sister even though I love Jasper; she's happy for us. You need to be like Alice. Maybe for you, it's a bit too early, but time will heal things."

**Bella's POV**

Edward's eyes had returned to their original topaz colour. I could see that he was broken. He wanted me back more than he had ever wanted anything in his whole life. But I couldn't lie to myself or to anyone else. I had fallen deeply in love with Jasper over a number of hours and although it may seem unbelievable, I knew that it was true. My heart beat for him the way it had never beaten for Edward and the butterflies in my stomach fluttered with a new strength. My breathing always became shallower when he was near, and I felt a warmth I had never felt before when he spoke. Edward had been my first love but Jasper was the one. Jasper was my soul mate.

"I'm sorry Edward," I said, "I know this hurts you, but I think you would rather be like this than having me lie to you and telling you that I love you when I don't. I love you like a friend and maybe in time I will love you like I love Emmett – as a brother, but I will never love you the way I loved you, and I will never love you the way I love Jasper. He's the one Edward, I'm sorry."  
"Can I have one last kiss?" he asked me.  
"It will make it more painful for you to move on," I told him, "But it's up to you. Just know, that if you kiss me for this one last time, you'll find it harder to move on. I should know – I've been there."  
"I know," Edward said, "I know that I was the one who caused all of this to happen. And I acknowledge the fact that Jasper was not at fault for my decision to leave Forks. And I apologise for all of the pain I caused you and my family. But I need to have this one last kiss to remember you by Bella. I will remain with our family and I will do my best to become normal again, but it will take time and I hope we will be friends again."

He leaned down and kissed me on the lips. I felt a familiar tingle in my heart, but it died out almost immediately. I knew that the chemistry Edward and I had shared was long gone. I knew that he had felt it; my lack of response. But he seemed content enough. His eyes were still broken but there was an added sparkle to them.

"Goodbye sweet Bella. Next time we meet, we will be friends," he told me.

**Jasper's POV**

Then he turned to me.  
"Goodbye brother," he said, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I'll see you at home." I could tell that he was feeling genuinely sorry so I sent over waves of acceptance and forgiveness. His eyes were broken but I could feel his appreciation.

And with that he sped off, leaving us together in the clearing, staring straight into each other's eyes, with a love we had never known before.

"I love you," we said at the same time.

"I know," we replied simultaneously. And then we laughed and ran into each other's arms.

**Bella's POV**

And he leaned down towards my face. I could feel the butterflies rising in my stomach.

**Jasper's POV**

And her heart was beating erratically. She followed my movements and stood on tiptoes to try to reach.

I looked deep into her beautiful brown eyes.

**Bella's POV**

I looked deep into his beautiful topaz eyes.

**Jasper and Bella's POV**

And then we kissed, and it felt as if a bolt of lightning had erupted within us. A connection had been formed, stronger than ever before.

**Bella's POV**

And I knew then that I would never leave his side. I was his.

**Jasper's POV**

And I knew then that I would never leave his side. I was hers.

**Jasper and Bella's POV**

Forever.

**Important A.N : this is NOT the final chapter. There's a lot more to come. I hope you enjoyed this. It made my heart tingle :) Review , please? :) **


	7. Chapter 7 : Dreams

_**A.N.: Ok Guys, I need more feedback : ( You should know by now how I love to get reviews : ( I'm afraid that people are starting to hate my story and it's really bringing me down : ( I need your support, to know that I am pleasing you, my readers. I hope you enjoy the following chapters as much as I'm going to. They will be lovely.**_

**Chapter 7 : Dreams**

**Bella's POV**

I couldn't sleep. I had grown used to Edward's cold arms around me during the night. I was afraid that I would end up back in the forest, back in those horrid nightmares, back to the place where I had been when Edward had left. But this time, I had been the one to say goodbye. I tossed and turned and found that I was not going to sleep any moment soon. I thought about how things had turned out. How could it have happened so fast? How had I gotten over Edward this fast? Had he meant so little to me? It couldn't be possible. He had been my life; the sole reason for my existence. Could my anger have triggered this attitude towards him and hence lack of emotion? I knew only one thing for sure; that my heart throbbed for Jasper the way it had never throbbed before and I knew that Jasper was definitely no rebound. But I was afraid that I was doing something wrong. I was undoubtedly hurting Edward by moving on so fast. Sure, he had been possessive and he had hurt me too in his own way – in many ways in fact. But this was mean. I was going on a date in two days' time and I had already kissed Jasper. The mere sound of his name as I whispered it sent warmth running all over me, inside and out. His name hung in the air in my room confined within the four walls, floor and ceiling, not even trying to get out of my open window. And I wanted it to stay there. I wanted him to stay and I knew it. I wanted Jasper with me. I needed him. I needed his arms around me. With him by my side, holding me, I would never lay awake another night before the time came for me to be changed. I needed him to make me feel safe. I was afraid of so many things; I was afraid of my emotions becoming too much and me crumbling back to my depressed state the previous winter, I was afraid of being alone again and I was afraid of Victoria. I knew she had not forgotten about me. Victoria was neither stupid nor forgiving. She wanted her revenge, and somehow she was going to get it. And I needed him to reassure me. At the same time, I wanted him to stay away ; I didn't mind if she did away with me as long as he remained alive along with the rest of my adoptive family and Charlie. I loved my father even though I didn't show him much emotion; he had become an important figure in my life and he had put up with so much unacceptable behaviour last winter. Poor Charlie; what a horrible daughter I must be.

My emotions became overwhelming much too soon and I started to cry helplessly. I wanted to call Jasper over but I didn't want him to see me like this, so I lay in bed and stared at the wall opposite me, my back to the window – I didn't want to look outside; I didn't want to risk myself seeing a head of flame-red hair with blood red eyes staring at me and burning into my soul.

**Jasper's POV**

I looked up at the stars. I wanted Bella to be close to me more than ever before. She was such a sweet baby girl. I loved her, with all of my heart, and I had no doubt that I wanted to spend the rest of my existence with her. I wanted so desperately to go and see her, but I didn't want to invade her private space; she deserved a few hours away from me. I didn't want to take over her life. I wanted her to be with me whenever she pleased and not to feel obliged to spend every waking hour with me. I loved her and I wanted her to be happy, even if that meant long hours of loneliness for myself.

"She won't mind," a soft yet deep voice suddenly said. I looked around. Edward was standing behind me in the middle of the clearing. He moved at a human pace until he was standing next to me and then sat down to join me on the grass.  
"She won't mind if you go and check up on her," he told me, "I used to spend every night with her and she wouldn't let me go."  
"Maybe she feels differently about me," I replied, "You were with her for a very long time Edward and you were her first love."  
"Jasper," he said. I could feel his emotions. He was broken and I felt sorry for doing this to my brother. I sent over waves of regret and some waves of calmness over him.  
"Don't regret anything Jasper," he told me, "this was the way things were supposed to be. I know that you have been fascinated by her since the moment you laid eyes on her and I appreciate your respect towards me for as long as you have been standing in the shadows in order to prevent standing in my way. I thought it was about Alice but now I know better. You're a great brother, and I'm sorry I was willing to fight with you."  
"You're being really nice Edward," I replied, "You're making it hard for me to carry on following my true emotions. I feel horrible about everything that has happened yet I can't bring myself to stop loving her; it's not possible."  
"It never will be," he told me, "You're her soul mate. I could see it in her eyes and I can see it in yours. She has never felt this strongly about me even if she tries to make herself believe that she ever did. Jasper, if what you're looking for is my blessing, you have it. I can't say I'm going to be ok or happy, or that I won't sometimes break down and get furious at your thoughts. In my head she will always be mine, but I want you to know that when my head is thinking clearly, I'm ok with it."  
"Oh Edward," I replied, "I'm sorry."  
"I was a jerk Jasper," he told me, "I deserved it. Thank you for saving her from me. I think you should go check up on her now. You were meaning to do that before I interrupted."  
"Edward," I said, "You will never cease from being my brother, no matter what happens."  
"I know. Same goes to you," he replied. I hugged him in as manly a way as I could and then I dashed off to Bella's house. Her window was open and I climbed into it. As soon as I entered the room, a pang of worry hit me like thunder. I heard her sniffle and I could tell that she was crying. I wanted to hold her in my arms and never let her go. So I moved at a human pace and walked up to her bed, and slowly, I got on it and lay down beside her.

**Bella's POV**

I felt a pair of cold arms wrapping themselves around me. And I knew by the touch, to whom they belonged.  
"Jasper," I whispered. I felt relief bubbling from deep inside me. I turned around to face my wonderful god-like lover.  
"You came," I said, "You came to me. Thank you Jasper." I wrapped my own arms around him and buried my face in his chest. I knew I was going to mess up his shirt with my tears but I also knew that he wouldn't mind.  
"Don't cry sweet darlin'" he told me, "Tell me what's bothering you so badly."  
A wonderful warmth enveloped me as he let his natural accent take over and as his lovely voice wrapped itself around me.

"I'm so scared," I managed to say, "I'm so scared of being alone, so scared that I'm doing something wrong Jazz. I'm afraid that I'm moving on too fast, because I know that you're no rebound. You're the one Jasper, and I'm not sure why I moved on so fast."  
"Maybe it was meant to be sweet pea," he told me, "You don't need to be afraid of anything. And just so you know, Edward gave us his blessing. I know it's harder to be mad at him now, but you deserve to know."  
"I know Jasper," I replied, "Thank you for being so honest with me. You truly are one of a kind. He used to keep so many things from me, he lied so much. You're different Jazz. And he's nothing when compared to you. And that's what I feel bad about. I'm not used to feeling this way about people. And it feels wrong to think of him that way. He used to be the reason I carried on, and now it's like he never existed; just like he had promised me in vain before he left me last September."  
"Oh Bella," he told me, "These things just happen sometimes. You either accept it or you try to go back to the way things were." A sense of fear spiked up and I knew that he was projecting it without knowing.  
"Jasper," I said, "Don't be afraid. I won't leave you. Ever."  
"I know darlin'. And for the record, you look really beautiful with your face so red, but I really hate it when you cry sweet pea."

And as he planted a soft kiss on my hair, I drifted off to sleep in his wonderful arms.

**Jasper's POV**

She was talking in her sleep. I could feel confusion and pain flowing from her heart. There was also a lot of love.  
"Edward," she suddenly said. I couldn't help but to let sadness take over me. So she loved him still? But …  
"No Edward don't!" Was she dreaming of him leaving her again? Was he still that important to her? Well, I didn't blame her; she had just broken up with him, but she had said that she loved me, but why was she feeling love towards him.  
"No Edward, not Jasper."

Not me? I could feel my dead heart breaking into pieces. How could Bella do this to me? She was openly rejecting me for him. And yet, I loved her with all I had. I wouldn't leave her. I would never leave her. She could kick me out of her life but I would love her until I turned to ashes, maybe even after that if Carlisle was right about our soul.

"Not him. No Edward, please. Don't…not him…please Edward. I'll go with you. Not him." Every word made my heart break and I couldn't take it. I had to get out of this room. I would come and see her again in the morning, but I couldn't take the love she was emitting from her very soul, love she claimed was for Edward. Her subconscious was speaking for her during her dream, and clearly I did not hold the place in her heart which I had previously believed that I held. I had to get out of there. I planted a soft kiss on her forehead and lay her down gently and I sped off into the forest, back to the clearing where we had shared our first kiss.

**Bella's POV**

I was in the clearing again with Jasper and we had just shared yet another amazing kiss. I loved him so much and I would never stop. I didn't care if it was wrong; I wanted him more than I had ever wanted anything else in my entire life.

Edward appeared out of nowhere and he was furious. His eyes were a pitch black and I knew that he was not thirsting for blood; just for revenge.  
"Edward," I said.  
"Stop Bella," he told me, "Let me deal with him." He was suddenly at our side and he had grabbed Jasper and slammed him against a tree.  
"No Edward don't!" I shouted. He looked at me and then he turned back to his brother, the love of my life, and bit him on his shoulder. Tears started rolling down my cheeks.  
"No Edward, not Jasper!" I said.  
"He took you away from me," Edward said, "he took you away. I want you back. And in order to do that, someone has got to get hurt." He was looking at Jasper, almost biting him again and I walked up to them and tugged on Edward's sleeve. He looked down on me and I opened my mouth to speak.  
"Not him. No Edward, please. Don't…not him…please Edward. I'll go with you. Not him."

"You still love me," Edward said as he let Jasper drop to the floor. I looked into my lover's beautiful golden eyes that matched so well with his beautiful golden hair and then I looked up into the stranger's deep black eyes.  
"No Edward, I don't. I love Jasper," I told him, "But I won't let you do this. Take me, do whatever you want with me. Force me into marriage, never change me, I don't care. As long as you never touch Jasper."  
And I looked into my lover's beautiful Southern eyes for one last time, before Edward's teeth sunk into my throat and sucked the life out of me. I woke up in a night sweat, with tears rolling down my cheek. I was in my room, alone again. Where had Jasper gone? I needed to see him. The dream had been too real; I had to make sure that he wasn't hurt. I looked at the alarm clock on my bedside table. It was three in the morning. I knew where Jasper would be if he had wanted time alone. He didn't need to hunt; of that I was sure. Right before I slept, his eyes had been as golden as ever. But maybe he had wanted some time to think, and I knew I would find him at that special clearing; the clearing from my dream. I jumped out of bed and threw off my shorts and my tank top. I folded them and placed them at the end of my bed and then I grabbed the first pair of jeans and t-shirt that I could find, locked the door to my room from the inside to prevent Charlie from finding my room empty and walked to the window. It was quite a long way down; for a klutz like me anyway, but I needed to do this. I imagined myself cliff diving, and I jumped down the distance, Edward and Jacob and now Jasper had jumped down before me. I knew I had twisted my ankle the moment my feet hit the ground, but I couldn't stop. I had to make sure that Jasper was ok; that I had not done anything to upset him, and I ran with my foot in unbearable pain, but I ran like my life depended on it.

**Jasper's POV**

I knew that I would be crying, had I been able to, but I wasn't able to so I couldn't cry. I just let the pain and sadness take over me like an illness and I looked up at the stars, thinking about the girl I loved. I would never let anything or anyone hurt her, but I would allow her to hurt me even if it meant the end of me. I loved her, and nothing she said or did with Edward or with anyone else could change the way I felt about her. Edward had been wrong; she didn't love me the way she had loved him because she loved me more; she only loved me differently because she loved me less – maybe not at all. He had mistaken the look in her eyes for something completely different. All of a sudden, I could make out a faint heartbeat in the distance, somewhere within the forest. And there was a lot of concern and love coming from the source of the said heartbeat. I wondered who it could be. Bella was still at home, dreaming peacefully and happily about her Edward. It couldn't be a wolf, could it? Maybe it would tear me to shreds, and save her the trouble of telling me how she really felt. I would lie and tell them that I bit a human and they could kill me. The heartbeat was increasing in frequency and intensity. I knew the person was getting closer and more anxious and he or she was headed directly for the clearing. Perfect. I felt release taking over.

**Bella's POV**

My heart was beating erratically. I could feel pain and sadness being emitted from somewhere within the forest. Jasper…he was the only one I knew who could project his feelings. What had I done? Or had it been someone else? No, it was probably my doing. I was already feeling sorry for whatever I had said or done to make him feel this way. He was my love, the one, and I couldn't let him feel like this. I needed to make him feel better, to make everything ok. I ran desperately on my injured foot, towards the clearing and the emotions became stronger. A sense of release suddenly appeared from within the sadness and pain. I ran harder than I had ever run before.

**Jasper's POV**

I looked behind me , expecting to see a Quileute boy in the process of morphing into a wolf before ripping me to shreds, but what I saw was a very beautiful, concerned and worried Bella running as fast as she could to get to me. But she was supposed to be asleep, dreaming of the wonderful Edward. Was I imagining things?

And then Bella screamed, and I lost sight of her, and if my heart had been beating in the first place, I would say that at that moment, my heart stopped beating. _Bella, no!_

**Ok, Sorry for the cliffy. But if you review, I promise I will write you all out another chapter tomorrow :) And you will love it. What caused Bella's screaming? Will Jasper and Bella break up or make up? Will Jasper even get to wherever Bella went? I don't know, but you will if you review. Ok we all know that I'll write you all out another chapter even without a review :) But I would honestly love it if I got some reviews to boost my mood. You have no idea of the smile that forms on my face whenever I see another review, and I appreciate each and every one of them separately. I don't see the number of your review, I see your pen-name and your words. So please, review :) And I hope you enjoyed the chapter :) It's 01.00 am here lol! **


	8. Chapter 8 : Flames, Friends and Passion

_**A.N. sorry for the **_**long**_** wait. But this is an extremely important chapter and I want to do it right so I took my time to think about it and I'm not the type of person who starts writing a fanfic chapter and stops and then continues; I start it now, finish it now and upload it now, so I needed to think beforehand. Anyways, I hope you like this. And thank you for the awesome reviews :D You are the best readers in the world :D You have really encouraged me to try and do things perfectly just to please you all! :D**_

_**P.S. An awesome reviewer known by the name Im..In. caught my attention. There's a mistake in chapter 6: **__**'Jasper's POV'**_

'And I knew then that I would never leave his side. I was hers.'_** That was supposed to be 'that I would never leave her side'. I did not fix it so that the story wouldn't appear updated thus giving you all false hope of another chapter. **_

**Chapter 8: Flames, Friends and Passion**

**Jasper's POV**

I ran like I had never run before. Somebody or something had taken Bella and she had screamed. I had seen nothing, just her disappearing, and a sickly pale white hand grabbing onto her jacket from the trees. I knew it wouldn't be Edward. Edward would never do something like that. I tried to capture any emotions but all I got was smugness, hatred and the air of vengeance. I had to run faster; if only I had Edward's speed. I followed her muffled screams. What was making her scream so? She might have chosen Edward during her sleep, but I loved her still; more than anything, and I was willing to give my own life just to let her keep her own. And I needed to get there before she was killed. The trees became thinner until I found myself in the old baseball clearing, and there she was in the middle of the clearing crumpled on the floor. I could still make out her heartbeat so she was still alive, but she was emitting fear and hopelessness and a whole lot of love and concern.

"Bella," I said. My heart broke at her sight. She sat up slowly and then looked at me as panic struck her eyes.  
"Jasper, run!" she shouted. I ran towards her ignoring her request. She glared at me but did it in a loving manner.  
"I can't leave you here," I told her, "What happened?"  
"That's not important Jasper," she replied, "Why did you leave? Did I do something wrong before I slept Jazz? I'm sorry. You know I love you, right?"  
"Oh Bella," I said. I couldn't stay mad at what had happened when she was this adorable.  
"Maybe it was just a dream then," I told her.  
"What do you mean?" she asked me. And then I saw her jumping down from a tree branch. Victoria.

**Bella's POV**

What had he meant about a dream? Had I talked in my sleep? But I was only fighting for him. What could have made him so mad about me defending him and our love? Did he want to give me up? But I couldn't think about it for long because she jumped down from a tree branch and landed gracefully on the ground.

"Jasper, go," I said. I couldn't have him hurt, not now and not ever, "go. Run. I love you."  
"No," he told me, "I won't leave you. And she's not alone." True to what he had just said, figures emerged from within the trees. There were about sixteen young vampires, all of them probably younger than me and all of them with blood red eyes. I looked at Jasper, to question him, but he was already crouched down on the floor and snarling.

"Why Cullen," she told him, "I see that Bella has a new protector."  
"Leave," he replied, "Or you will regret it."  
"No, Victoria wait," I said.

**Jasper's POV**

Victoria turned to look at the beautiful human who had just spoken the words.  
"He's got nothing to do with this. It's my fault that James died so you should kill _me_. Not him. Please Victoria; not him. I'll go with you. But not him." And I understood the dream, and I felt horrible. I had judged her before she could even explain; she had been dreaming of Edward hurting me and was giving herself up to save me; just like she was doing right here.  
"I like your offer," Victoria said, "Step aside cowboy." She pushed me into a tree and ran to Bella before I could get her.  
"I love you Jasper," Bella said as she closed her eyes, "Just do it Victoria. Torture me, do whatever you like."  
"I like you," she told her. I could feel evil and smugness emanating from Victoria, and pure love and self-sacrifice from Bella.  
"Promise you will stay away from them, and kill me without anybody interrupting you," Bella told her.  
"That's fine. I just wanted to kill _you_," Victoria said. Bella lifted her arm and swept her hair to one side and left her neck within reach.  
"It's ok, just do it."  
I knew this was hard for her, but I knew that she wanted to do it. However, I could not let that happen so I ran at vampire speed until I arrived between her and Victoria.

**Bella's POV**

He was being protective of me and it made me feel warm. He shielded me from all of them and was about to lunge at her, when two more figures emerged from within the trees. Edward. Jacob.  
"Alice saw," Edward said, "And I called him."  
"All of you run!" I shouted at them, "Jasper, Edward, Jacob, run. Please! I can't let you guys get hurt!"  
"We won't get hurt," Jacob said as he locked eyes with Victoria. I looked at her. She was smiling cruelly. Jasper lunged at the first young vampire and started ripping him to pieces. Jacob proceeded with another and Edward with another. Soon enough there were only a few newborns left and Victoria with her hand clasped over my mouth and her face getting closer to my neck. But I guess she wanted them to see her killing me.  
"Edward, get the redheaded leech," I heard Jacob say.  
"No Jacob," Edward whispered, "Jasper needs to do that. He needs to know that he is able to protect her. It would hurt him. Victoria is waiting for us to see. He'll have time."

The field was covered in pieces of dead vampire bodies. It had been disturbing, watching my best friend, my ex, and my boyfriend ripping vampires to pieces. I had looked as flesh flew from one side of the field to the next. Jasper was extremely talented at getting rid of these young vampires, and I knew immediately that these were newborns; Jasper had experienced and he was acting like a true soldier; a true protector. Edward could read their minds and so he knew when they were about to attack. Jacob was designed to kill vampires. They were the perfect combination, and it was not long before the field was filled with pieces of vampires. Edward and Jacob started a fire so that they would burn their remains and Jasper looked at me and at Victoria. Just before she reached my neck, I looked into his eyes and sent out waves of love and longing and I received the exact same waves from him. I smiled at him softly, looking into my lover's eyes for the last time.

**Jasper's POV**

Bella was sending me waves of love and longing and I projected the same thing to her. I knew that Victoria was still not going to bite her yet. She wanted Edward to suffer and she now had the Jacob bonus as well, but I couldn't wait any longer. Before she knew what had hit her, I jumped at her and we started to fight. She moved from one tree to the next and I followed. Her movements were sharp but mine were sharper. I had experience in this field; she had only had experience with humans before, while I knew just how to trick a vampire into being killed. I used my strength to twist her wrists and tore them off of her body so that she couldn't use them. Before long, the rest of her right arm was gone. I knew she was trying to twist my neck and get my head off, but I wouldn't let her. I knew just how she was playing this game. She was going to try it in one go; snap off the head and then dismantle the rest, but I couldn't play it that way. I had to dismantle her bit by bit to make it harder for her so I pushed her onto the floor, knelt down on her abdomen and pulled her legs. She was struggling as she wasn't very strong for a vampire; all she had were her evil schemes; her brain worked well enough, but her body was not as strong as mine. I knew Edward could have helped but I knew that he was letting me be the one to protect Bella this time around. So I looked at him and he nodded at me sending waves of pride. And with that courage inside of me, I snapped her neck, and after one last scream, her head was torn off her body.

**Bella's POV**

It had all been just flashes of white for me. Jasper and Victoria were taking part in a deathly dance, and I could hear him growl and I could hear her struggle. I knew that Jasper had the upper hand. Jacob and Edward were sitting on either side of me, each of them holding a hand for support. I was so grateful for them. I was so afraid for Jasper. I knew he had the upper hand but what if things became different? I couldn't lose him and I would gladly give myself up just to know that he would be safe. My prayers were answered, when a red flame flew past us and landed onto the ground; Victoria's head. It was disturbing, and I wanted to throw up, but I was too happy that Jasper was safe. I lifted myself off of the ground and ran to him and I sprang onto his body and started kissing him with passion. I had tears in my eyes and I started to cry. I had been so afraid that he would get hurt and here he was safe in my arms.  
"I love you sweet pea," he told me.  
"I love you too baby," I replied.  
"You don't need to be scared. I'm never going anywhere else again."  
I held on to him tightly and then he let me go. I looked around me. Victoria's head was visible in the pile of newborns that was burning and the rest of her body parts were somewhere there as well, I was sure. Purple smoke was drifting up into the air and being dispersed within the trees. I looked behind me. Edward and Jacob were staring at us with pain on their faces so I ran to them. I hugged Jacob first, him being my best friend and all, and he held me in his warm embrace. He truly was like a brother to me.  
"Thank you Jake," I mumbled. He kissed me on top of my head and then we pulled ourselves apart and he smiled at me.  
"And Bells," he said, "I'm happy for you." He motioned with his eyes to Jasper.  
"Oh Jake," I replied, "You don't know how much that means to me, coming from you!"  
I turned to Edward. I moved closer to him and then I wrapped my arms around his waist and breathed in his scent. I knew that I missed him and everything that we'd had before things had become so messed up. He wrapped his arms around me and held me softly but tight at the same time. I felt sobs coming from deep inside him and I knew that he would be crying, had he been able to.

"Edward," I said, "Thank you so much."  
"Don't thank me," he replied, "It was my duty to come here and protect you from that...thing."  
"There was a time," I told him, "When you just wanted me to thank you and get over it. Remember?" I attempted to make him laugh and actually got a soft melodious chuckle out of him.  
"Of course I remember," he told me, "How could I forget? That determination and stubborn head of yours were one of the things that made me fall in love with you Bella."

I looked at him and smiled sadly.  
"Hey," he said, "don't feel bad. You had a right to choose. This is my entire fault anyway. I was stubborn and selfish and I was wrong. I should have seen you as the woman you really are instead of the child I thought you were. I should have known that you were able to choose right from the very beginning."  
"Edward, I miss you," I told him, "I really do."  
"You...you miss me?" he asked me. There was a flicker of hope in his eyes.  
"Yes, I do," I replied, "But...Jasper, he...he's my everything now. And I love him."

**Jasper's POV**

"Edward, I miss you," she told him, "I really do." My dead heart sank. Maybe I had not misinterpreted the dream after all. I wanted to run away and curl up on my bed, willing for death to come and take over me. I suddenly wished that Victoria had killed me.  
"You...you miss me?" he asked her. There was so much hope coming from him; a joy I hadn't felt from him in months.  
"Yes, I do," she replied, "But..." Suddenly, I felt his hope dwindle, and mine being elated.  
"Jasper," she told him, "he...he's my everything now. And I love him." Nobody could imagine the joy I felt at that very moment and I tried not to project it; I knew that both Edward and Jacob would feel it and I didn't want to make them feel bad. But I couldn't hold it in. I was so happy that my love felt the same way about me.  
"I know," Edward told her, "And I don't plan to get in the way. I was thinking of moving to Denali for some time. To clear my head and to allow you some space without the constant worry of having me snooping around your business."

"Edward," she told him, "I don't want you to move away. You belong with us; with your family. I want you to be my friend. We could be best friends Edward, just like I am with Jacob and Alice. We could make it work. I've made it work with Jacob. We both know he's in love with me and still he treats me like a best friend; like a sister – because that's the way I want him to treat me, and we could make it work too."  
"It will work," Edward said, "In time. But right now, I need to move away for some time. I just hope Tanya and her sisters will lay off of me."  
"It's up to you," she told him, "Just...don't stay away from us for too long. Carlisle and Esme and Alice, they'll be crushed if you don't come back, and let's face it, Emmett adores you as his brother and Rosalie loves you even if she doesn't show it. I don't know about Jasper, but I'm sure he doesn't want you to leave. And just because we're not together anymore, doesn't mean that you're not important to me Edward. I need you here."  
"I know," he told her, "And I won't stay away for too long – I promise. Now I should get back to the house, and give you some privacy."

She hugged him and promised that we would follow him soon enough. He sped off into the forest in the direction of our home and then I walked up to Jacob.  
"Jacob, brother," I said, "Thank you."  
"Brother?" he asked me. A wave of positive surprise reached me.  
"Yes," I replied, "Brother. You're Bella's best friend, _her_ brother, and any brother of Bella's is a brother of mine. I hope that in the future, we will be very good friends. I don't want to upset her, and I have taken a liking to you."  
"I hope so too. Although tonight something changed between Edward and I, I still feel different about him than I feel about you. No offence, with him being your brother and all, but I think you're better for her. You make her happy. So I'll see you around ... bro." I smiled at him and he patted me on my back, hugged Bella and ran off into the night. Soon, we were on our own, just Bella and me.

And I ran up to her and picked her up into my arms. She wound her legs around my waist and she held my face in her warm and delicate hands. I wrapped my arms around her waist and we shared a passionate kiss. My mouth moved in co-ordination with hers, and I could swear that I could feel her heart beating as if it were my own, and I hadn't felt this good in centuries; I had never felt this good to be honest. I knew I was emitting a lot of happiness, a lot of love and probably some lust so I tried to control my feelings. But I couldn't. She was so beautiful, and warm, and special, and perfect; and I couldn't not want her or not love her. She had become my everything in a matter of days; the sole reason for my existence, and I wouldn't let her out of my life. Her mouth opened and allowed my tongue to enter and it felt better than ever before to be able to kiss her with such fervour. I walked slowly, with our mouths still attached, and soon, she had her back against a tree. She ran her hands through my curls getting them knotted in my blonde hair and I moved my hand along her back and up to her neck where I sheltered my hand within the warmth that her luscious chocolate hair provided. 

**Bella's POV**

It was like electricity had been passed through my body. The moment our lips touched, I felt my soul rising to Heaven. Kissing him was a totally new experience and I liked it. Edward had kissed me with caution and thought, but Jasper kissed me with a gentle, warm and soft passion. I could feel love and happiness coming out in waves and I knew he was trying to stop himself from projecting lust but he couldn't and that was partially my fault; he was feeling my own love and happiness and lust as well, and it was hard to control his feelings with me feeling the exact same way. I wanted him in every way; body and soul and I didn't want to stop.

"I love you Jasper," I mumbled as he let my lips go just so that I could breathe.  
"I love you too Isabella," he told me. The way his voice danced around my full name, made my heart beat with an unexpected speed. It was already beating fast enough from our little kiss and I couldn't believe that it had the capability of beating even faster. Had I not known that vampires had dead hearts, I would have claimed that my heart was beating at the speed of a vampire's.  
"You're perfect," he whispered.  
"Have you checked yourself in the mirror lately?" I asked. He smiled at me and we locked eyes.  
"You're so beautiful Jasper," I told him, "I'm so lucky."  
"Not as lucky as _I_ am," he replied, "Bella? Your dream...you were telling Edward that you wanted to go with him...not me...that's why I left. What was it about?"  
"Oh Jasper," I replied, "You got it all wrong. He was going to kill you, and I let him kill me. I let him take me away with him and I even allowed him to force me into marrying him as long as he didn't hurt _you_. Now I feel bad; Edward would never do that to us."  
"I'm sorry for judging you sweetheart," he told me.  
"It's ok," I replied, "You were only hearing half the story; it's not your fault."  
"Let's go home baby," he said. He let me down and then scooped me up into his arms and ran off towards the Cullen home. I knew we would have some explaining to do. But right now all that mattered was that Victoria was gone, Edward and Jacob were our friends, and Jasper and I...let's just say we were head over heels in love, and absolutely, totally and eternally unbreakable, inseparable and untouchable.  
_**I hope you liked that. I'm sorry if the action scene was not so good, but I'm not really an expert on the action of it all. I'm better at expressing their emotions. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next up: Bella and Jasper tell the Cullen family about their relationship. So stay tuned ^^. I will update soon. Probably tomorrow morning or tomorrow late at night. Maybe even tonight if I have the right feelings to write. Anyway, review :D I love getting your reviews; every single one of them. **

**Jess xx**


	9. Chapter 9 : The Cullens

_**A.N. Not sure where this chapter is gonna go; I just write things the way they come. But all the Cullens will be present, including Edward. And there may or may not be some romantic moments between Bella and Jasper (there probably will be; I hate writing chapters without some romance) .**_

_**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews :) I appreciate them all. So please continue reviewing. An hey, KeeperoftheCovenant, thanks for being so interested in my story :) I really appreciate.**_

**Chapter 9 : The Cullens**

**Bella's POV**

Jasper let me down onto the long driveway concrete and we walked up the steps which led to the Cullen home. I remembered the first time I came here, with Edward; I had been so afraid that these people wouldn't like me. My fears were suddenly climbing back up to a climax. I doubted their acceptance of my new relationship with Jasper; was it a relationship? Well, I wanted it to be.

"What are you afraid of sweet pea?" Jasper whispered.  
"What if they don't like us? What if they don't accept us Jazz? I don't want them to leave, and I don't want to let you go."  
"Nothin' will separate us darlin'," he told me. His wonderful Southern accent and warm, loving voice sent pleasant shivers down my spine and caused butterflies to erupt deep inside of me.  
"I love you," I mumbled.  
"I love you too," he told me, "God this is happening fast, but I'm surer than ever about these feelings."  
"Kiss me," I replied.  
"Of course sweetie," he told me. He bent down and placed a soft and gentle kiss on my lips which filled me with courage. Well, he was probably projecting some courage to me as well.

I felt more confident now. I was so lucky that I was with an empath. We walked into the Cullen home. Rosalie and Emmett were on the couch watching TV with Emmett's arm around Rosalie's shoulder. Carlisle was reading a book about Geology while Esme was looking through an interior design catalogue. Alice was helping her out. Edward was nowhere to be seen.

Esme was the first one to look up when we entered.  
"Hey Bella dear," she told me. She was soon at my side and she hugged me and I returned her hug. I didn't want to let her go. I was so afraid that this would be the last hug I would share with Esme.  
I felt tears welling up in my eyes.  
"What's wrong?" she asked me as she pulled away and saw my eyes, "Did you and Edward fight? He just stormed in and went up to his room and Alice told us not to bother him yet."  
"There's something I need to tell all of you," I mumbled.  
"Of course Bella, tell us," Carlisle suddenly said. He smiled softly at me as did Esme. Rosalie looked away from the TV with an expressionless face and Emmett grinned at me, oblivious to the tension. I love the guy; he always lightens up the mood. Alice just beamed at me and encouraged me to carry on.  
"I think Edward should be here for this," I told them, "He is after all part of the story."  
I guess he had heard me or any one of their thoughts, as we soon heard his bedroom door open and click close and then he walked down the stairs at a human pace. He was broken and I felt guilty about it. Jasper sent me waves of confidence but I still felt horrible for bringing Edward to this state.

Edward sat down in an armchair. "You may start," Edward said softly.  
"Edward…" I said, "I'm sorry."  
"It was my fault," he replied, "Don't be."  
"What's going on sweetheart?" Esme asked.

She rejoined Alice around the table and everyone looked at me.  
"Edward and I had some problems," I started before Edward cut in.  
"I know what she's going to do," Edward said, "She's going to blame herself, so I'm going to tell you all the truth. You may hate me for it but it's the truth."  
"They would never hate you Edward," I said, "They're your family. They love you the way I love you."  
"Because that's the way you love me now," he replied suddenly looking more broken than before, "so… after I came back from Volterra and we all moved back to Forks, I started being a bit protective of Bella, which is fine. But then my protectiveness became possessiveness. I made her choose beween Jacob and me and forced her not to see him. I refused to allow her alone in a room with Jasper…or any of you. I'm sorry; I was afraid for her safety. She fought with me, telling me that you guys would never hurt her. She told me that all of you loved her more than me, even you Rose. And…I was so mad; I wanted to frighten her but it was becoming worse and worse and at some point I was going to kill her and Jasper came to stop me from doing it."

"Son," Carlisle said, "why?"  
"I don't know," Edward told him, "I really don't. I hate myself for doing it now, but Bella was right. I have changed; I'm not the same person I was before I left her on her eighteenth birthday. I'm different now and it's an irreversible change. It is not her fault. She tried to stay with me, but she was too scared."  
"So I broke up with him," I said slowly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen; it just did."  
"I'm in love with Bella," Jasper suddenly said.  
"Son! Alice!" Carlisle gasped.  
Alice giggled, "Don't worry Carlisle. There's something you all should know. What we hid from all of you took great effort. We had to work hard for five years to block out Edward from any thoughts of the situation because we didn't want anyone to know. We didn't want any tension in the family. Jasper and I have been divorced for the last five years. We're still the best of friends, and I want this to happen for both of them. I'm fine with it."  
"Divorced? Why didn't you tell us?" Esme asked, looking a bit hurt.  
"We didn't want to cause any tension or any of you thinking that we are just trying to keep up appearances. We really are happy; we just don't love each other in that way anymore, and we haven't for at least six to seven years."  
"Yeah," Jasper replied, "Alice is like my sister now."  
"And I'm in love with him too," I added slowly.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

**Jasper's POV**

I could feel the tension becoming released from the room. Now that everything was out in the open, they were trying to take it all in. It was a lot to take in during just one conversation. I could feel that Rosalie was still tense but I could feel that her anger was not towards Bella but towards Edward. I knew that she was at breaking point so I tried to send her waves of calm and serenity but she seemed to be trying to ignore them.  
"Edward," she suddenly said, "I'm so disappointed in you."  
"Stop it," I told her, "he's sorry about it. Let him get over it."  
"Look," she told me, "I've been through what Bella's been through ok? I mean, it's the same isn't it? He asked her to marry him and then he almost killed her…we have to talk." She looked at Bella.  
Bella nodded. I could tell she was afraid of Rosalie.  
"I'm just trying to start afresh," Rose said, "I promise Bella. I'm with you on this one."  
"But this isn't a fight," Bella said, "Edward and I are still going to try to be friends. It will take some time for him to warm up to the idea, but I'll give him all the time he wants. If things go the way I want them to go, we still have a lot of time for that to happen."  
"I'm going to visit with the Denali clan for a while. Don't worry; it's not permanent. It's just until I get used to this."  
"That's up to you son," Carlisle said, "But don't stay away for too long. We'll miss you."  
"I'll miss you too, but I need some time to think." 

"What do you think Carlisle?" I asked, "about us." I motioned towards Bella.  
"I'm gutted for Edward, but he brought this about himself. I'm sorry son," Carlisle said to Edward before turning back to me, "As for you; I'm happy for you. This has happened very fast."  
"Jasper has liked her ever since he saw her first," Alice said, "That's why he was cautious around her. He wasn't afraid of physically hurting her. But he wanted to stay away. He didn't want to get in Edward's way."  
"Yeah," I added, "that's true."  
"And Bella was too in love with me to notice," Edward said, "She has always been a loyal person. Carlisle, they fell in love almost immediately."  
"It was like a spark," I added, "like electricity. I've never felt this way before. I'm sorry Alice."  
"Don't worry about it," she replied as she beamed at me, "I know." 

"You're the greatest best friend in the world," Bella said as Alice jumped over and hugged her.  
"Of course I am," Alice said, "that's why you're going shopping with me tomorrow. Because you love me so much."  
Bella sighed in defeat and said, "OK. I'll go with you."  
Then she looked around the room and opened her mouth. I knew what she was going to say. I wanted to stop her but she deserved the right to speak her mind, "I know you guys probably don't want me anymore. But I just want you to know, that you will still feel like my family even if you leave me behind. I don't want you to leave, so if you're not fine with this, I'll stay away. I don't want to leave Jasper and I don't want to keep him away from you. He loves you and you love him and I love you guys all too much. I'm sorry if I've caused any pain or disappointment. Ever since I came into your lives, everything has just summed up to trouble. I've done nothing but brought you grief and pain and trouble with Victoria and the Volturi and everything else."  
"Speaking of which," I said, "Victoria's gone. She had newborns with her. Edward and Jacob and I took care of them and I killed her."  
"What?" Carlisle asked, "you should have asked for help."  
"Don't worry Carlisle," Alice said, "I knew they would win." She beamed at him.  
"And as for you Bella," Carlisle said, "I think all of us agree that you're one of us now. We won't let you go, and you haven't brought us trouble; you've brought us life and excitement. Things have never been so alive here. With you and Alice together in the same house, everything is more enjoyable. Esme and I love you like a daughter, Emmett and Alice love you like a sister, Edward will come around, won't you son?" Edward nodded and Carlisle continued, "Jasper loves you romantically now, and Rose?"  
"You have always been my sister Bella," she said surprising me. I could feel Bella warming up and I knew she had happy tears in her eyes. I took her hand in mine and squeezed it.

Rosalie stood up and walked towards Bella and she hugged her.  
"I'm sorry about the way I acted towards you before. I just wanted you to have a better future than I had Bella. You reminded me so much of myself. We'll talk about this later."  
I could feel disbelief coming from Bella, and I knew it was probably due to the fact that Rosalie had told her she reminded her of herself. Bella had a very wrong conception of herself. She thought of herself as common or plain but I knew better than that. She was the most beautiful girl in the whole universe, inside and out, with a big and limitless heart and a beautiful unblemished soul.

**Bella's POV**

When Rosalie told me that I reminded her of herself, I wanted to rewind so that I could listen to her saying it again. I couldn't believe it; what had she meant? Rosalie was so beautiful and glorious and perfect and I was so common and plain and flawed. What the hell had Edward and Jasper seen in me? They were vampires; the most beautiful creatures in the world. And Jasper had been with Alice. How could I ever compare to her? How could he not see the difference? How could he not see the discrepancy between her beautiful pixie face and my common human face?

"Everything's ok Bella," Esme said, "Why don't you and Jasper go upstairs to have a more private conversation about all that has transpired?"  
"Ok," I said, "that would be good."  
Jasper kept my hand in his and led me upstairs at a human pace. We went through the door which led o his study.

"Do you like it here?" he asked me. I looked around myself. It was beautiful. There were shelves, one on top of the other, all lined with pristine books. It was all made of maple wood. There was also a desk at one of the walls which held a computer, a fireplace at another wall with a rug, a couch and a comfortable-looking armchair at the other wall, and a picture on an end table which seemed to be dedicated to the picture. I walked over to the end table and picked up the frame. The picture was torn at the edges and it was black and white, almost brownish. In it, there was a couple and a child. The man was very tall and quite well-built. He had a warm smile, very much like Jasper's and a slightly crooked nose. His eyes seemed to be dark and his hair was dark and short and combed back. He wore old-fashioned farmer's clothes. The woman was slightly shorter and was clearly his wife as he had his arm wound around her waist lovingly. She had light-coloured curls which went down to her shoulders, a beautiful smile and petite nose and her eyes seemed to be bluish, or somewhere around that shade as they were very light. She was extremely beautiful and wore clothes in a similar fashion to her husband's. I knew they were married due to the plain wedding band on her left ring finger. Her left hand and his right hand were on the little boy's shoulders; a hand on each. The boy was already quite tall and he seemed to be about eight years old. He had blonde curls which went down to his chin, light-coloured eyes like his mother's, a warm smile very much like Jasper's and a petite nose. His face was bright and happy. He was wearing clothes of a similar fashion and was barefooted. He was beautiful. I felt a pair of cold arms wrapping themselves around my waist as he rested his chin on my left shoulder.

"You like it darlin'?" he asked.  
I nodded.  
"Nobody's ever seen that picture; not even Alice cos nobody's ever been here except for you. When Maria changed me, she found that picture in my breast pocket and decided to let me keep it. I've kept it ever since. It's the only thing I have left from my human life. That man is Jeremy Whitlock and he's my father. He used to be everything to me. I loved him dearly. This was the reason I went to war; to make him proud. He never expected much; he loved me. I was their only son and I died, leaving them alone. Her name is Marylou Whitlock and she's my mother. I used to be the apple of her eye. That child is myself."  
"You were always beautiful," I told him, "I guess it wasn't the change that caused it."  
"You still liked Edward better than me in the beginning," he told me, "that must mean that he's way more special."  
"Jazz," I told him as I turned around to face him, "in my eyes you were taken. From the very first moment I saw you, Jessica introduced you as Alice's boyfriend. I would never take away someone else's love, especially after Alice became my best friend. So I didn't regard you in that way. And Edward _is_ beautiful, but honey … not as beautiful as you."

He wrapped his arms around my waist again, lowering them to my hips and I suddenly desired more of him. I lifted myself onto my toes and he bent down to kiss me. The moment our lips touched, the same uncontrollable passionate haze began. My hands became tangled in his beautiful golden hair and he pulled me closer to him, tightening his grip around me without crushing me. We kissed for a long time until I needed to stop breathing out of my nose and to start breathing through my mouth.  
"Darlin'…as much as I'd like to stay here and bruise your lips as well as do more nasty stuff to you," he teased, making me giggle, "I think it would be safer if I got you home before Charlie wakes up."  
"Yeah you're right," I told him as we walked out of the room and started making our way down the stairs. We said goodbye to the rest of the family and then we walked outside.  
"Hold on tight Bella," he told me as he scooped me up into his arms.  
"I trust you Jasper."  
"By the way, have I mentioned that I love you?" he added before speeding off towards my home and a sleeping unsuspecting Charlie.

**A.N. Ok, I hope you like this chapter. It was just so that you could get a glimpse of what the Cullens think. In the next chapter, there will be the talk with Rosalie (although I won't go into much detail so as not to bore you), the date with Jasper and Edward's departure for the time-being. Oh, and what will Charlie have to say? Don't worry you'll find out soon enough.**

**Review :D **


	10. Chapter 10 : Conversations

_**A.N.: Hey guys thanks for the wonderful reviews :D This chapter is just a filler but will be important as it is the beginning of the wonderful sisterhood between Rosalie and Bella. **_

**Chapter 10 : Conversations**

**Bella's POV **

We arrived in my room at around six in the morning, just before Charlie woke up. I started pulling off my t-shirt and when it was totally off I noticed that Jasper had looked away. I slid down my pants and slid back into the previous night's pajamas.  
"Ok Jazz," I said, "I'm all fully dressed." He turned around.  
"Thanks for doing that," I told him. He smiled at me, one of those wonderful wide smiles of his and then bent down to kiss me on the cheek.  
"Don't," I said.  
"Don't you like it?" he asked me. His face fell into a frown, a sad one.  
"Of course I like it, but Charlie will wake up in a moment and I don't want to be caught in a passionate frenzy with you sweetheart. I have to pretend to be calmly asleep."  
"Ok, you're right," he said as he relaxed and laughed, "I'll leave you to sleep then."  
"No," I said as I grabbed his wrist, "Stay…please?"  
"If you want me to," he told me.

I nodded and got into bed. He sat up on top of the sheets with his back against the headboard and I snuggled up close to him. Soon enough, sleep took over.

When I woke up, I found myself alone in bed. I wanted to cry. Had I said something else that had upset him? I hadn't dreamt of Edward; only of Jasper. Did he think I was crazy because I was falling in love with him this fast? A silent tear rolled down my cheek. I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't find the will to get out of bed. So I hugged my knees close to me and suddenly a pang of pain hit me like a fierce thunderstorm. My twisted ankle was acting up. Of course, I had been in deep shock the previous night after being snatched by Victoria. She had run so fast and I had been so scared, and the thought of losing Jacob and Edward, and especially Jasper had overcome the physical pain. But now it was back to torment me.

Suddenly, my door opened to reveal a very worried looking Jasper.  
"What are you doing here? I thought you left," I asked softly.  
"Why are you crying Bella? I could feel your emotions from downstairs. What's wrong baby?" he asked. He came to sit down next to me and cradled me in his arms.  
"I thought I had done something to upset you," I replied, "And I was worried that you thought I was crazy for falling in love with you so fast."  
"Oh sweet pea," he told me, "I'll never think you're crazy. You're unique and special, but not crazy. And you didn't do anything but please me. You kept whispering my name during your sleep. Have you any idea of how happy that made me feel?"  
I kissed him on his jaw, which was the highest place I could reach without stretching my body.

"And was that all? Cos there was this pang of pain I couldn't explain," he told me.  
"Oh," I replied feeling the blush crawling up my cheeks, "Last night, when I came to look for you I jumped out of my window and landed on my feet and I twisted my ankle."  
"Don't you think we should ask Carlisle to see this darlin'? It would make me feel a whole lot better," he told me.  
"I don't think you'll ever get how much I appreciate you asking instead of demanding. Edward would be like 'I have to take you to Carlisle' in situations like these."  
"Yeah well I can't force you to go to a doctor Bella," he told me, "There are some choices that you have to make yourself."  
"Thank you Jazz," I replied, "But you're right. I think we should go to Carlisle. What were you doing downstairs anyway?"  
"Well," he told me, "your father left for work about three hours ago and I thought you might like some breakfast."  
"That's so sweet," I replied, feeling all warm and tingly inside. He took my hand and then picked me up and carried me downstairs at human speed.  
"We wouldn't want you to do any more damage to your ankle now would we?" he asked, giving me one of those special smiles. I smiled back at him, feeling suddenly warmer and he placed me on a chair. I shifted so that my position was more comfortable and then gaped at the plate before me. There was a pop tart, some cheese toast and chocolate pancakes. 

"I knew they were your favorites and thought I'd just prepare them all for you," he told me, "I hope you don't mind."  
"Oh Jasper," I replied, "Of course I don't mind! This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." I could feel happy tears welling up in my eyes but blinked them away and started enjoying my meal. It was all delicious and the plate was soon scraped clean of food.  
"I haven't eaten this much ever since …"  
"Ever since what baby?" he asked, "Ever since we … left you?"  
I nodded, "It's not your fault. Please just accept it. Edward wanted to leave. That's final."  
"Ok," he told me, "I'll try to believe in your words."  
"That's better than nothing," I replied. He cleaned up my plate for me and then carried me to my truck and drove to the Cullen residence.

"Aren't you frustrated with the slow speed?" I asked.  
He shook his head, "Bella…you make me feel human. I have so much fun when we're together."  
"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," I told him, "I love you."  
"I love you too darlin'."  
I smiled at him. We soon arrived at the Cullen residence and he parked on the driveway. He then carried me inside and placed me comfortably on the couch. He left me alone, probably to go get Carlisle, and soon enough both vampires were standing next to me.  
"What were you thinking?" Carlisle asked, "Jumping out of a window!"

"I knew it wouldn't kill me," I told him, "And I had to find some way to get to Jasper."  
"Why?" he asked.  
"Well, he was with me when I feel asleep but then I woke up and he was gone and I was afraid that I had upset him. I was right in the end. He misinterpreted my dream and left me so that he could just think for a while. But I couldn't rest until I made sure he was ok."  
"You are so kind," Carlisle told me.  
"Look who's talking," I teased.  
He looked at my ankle and applied some sort of ointment to it and bandaged it.

"Bella I'm so glad you're here," Rosalie said as she hopped down the stairs. This new behaviour of Rosalie's was creeping me out. She must have surely hit her head. She walked over to me at a human pace and took my hand in hers. Her grasp was gentle. I had not expected that. It was filled with care and understanding. She tugged on my hand and led me up the stairs.  
"You don't mind, do you Jasper?" she suddenly asked as she turned around.  
"Of course not," he told her, "you girls go enjoy yourselves." I let her lead me to her desired location which was actually the room she shared with Emmett. I did not want to think about what they did on their huge king-sized bed. The room was amazing and incredibly romantic-looking. It was all based on red and purple hues. Rosalie sat down on the bed and patted a spot next to her. I sat down at the indicated spot and Rosalie looked at me and smiled before she began to tell me her story. She told me of her engagement and her fiancé's betrayal.  
"Oh Bella," she told me, "It was horrible. And I don't want to see you go through anything like that…ever. The reason I appeared to dislike you was because I could see in your eyes that you were as blind to Edward as I was to _him_. I can't even bear to speak his name. Some people are not what they seem. Everybody in this household seems to believe that Edward is just a lonely soul but he's not. He thinks nobody notices it but I do; Edward stays alone because that's the only way he can be sure that he won't lose. Edward can never lose and if he does it turns out badly. So I was afraid for you Bella. I saw you in me. You are beautiful, much like I was, and young and inexperienced in these things. And you loved him so much. I was so afraid that you would end up like me. He killed me.

"Why didn't you just tell me Rose? I would have understood," I told her, "I never knew you had such a horrible past." I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I could see her own beautiful golden eyes shining with tears that could never be shed. She wrapped her arms around me and I returned the hug.  
"So now you now," she told me, "I accept the fact that you may want to be one of us. I just wanted to be a mother so much and I can't…and I just can't believe you would give that up. But I accept that you may not want the same things as me. Bella, you're my sister and I love you. Please always remember that."  
"Oh Rose," I told her, "I love you too. Thank you for being so supportive."  
"Jasper can make you happy," she told me, "he's different – he's better for you. Trust me."  
"I know; I believe you. He makes me feel special and beautiful and independent…"  
"That's because you _are_ all of those things. Don't you realize that Jasper lets you be yourself around him?"  
"You're right," I told her, "I never saw it that way…he lets me be free and independent…"  
"Much like Emmett does with me," Rose said.  
"What were my two favourite ladies saying about me huh?" Emmett suddenly said as he barged into the room.  
"Emmett!" Rosalie snapped, "We were talking."  
"It's ok Rose," I teased him, "I guess Emmett would like to take my place on the bed. Or anywhere else really. Look at his eyes; he's ripping your clothes off just by looking at you. "  
"Hey!" he cried, "I don't want to hear such nasty things coming from your mouth baby sister."  
"Enjoy," I said as I laughed loudly at his teddy bear faced, all scrunched up in confusion and surprise at my unexpected sex joke.

So I left the room to allow them their fun and went to search around the house for my own special soldier; my beautiful, wonderful, blonde, warm, sweet and gentle Jasper Whitlock Hale.

**Hope you enjoyed that :) Please review. Next chapter will be the date :D **


	11. Chapter 11 : Dates and Introductions

_**A.N. Ok this is the long-awaited for date between Bella and Jasper. I hope you enjoy this. I know the previous chapter was not very interesting, but I promise that this will melt your heart :). Enjoy ^^**_

_**Disclaimer: Don't make me say it….please…? Oh fine…I do not own the Twilight Saga…or Jasper… **_

**Chapter 11: Dates and Introductions**

**Jasper's POV **

I looked at myself in the mirror and adjusted my shirt. I hoped that Bella would like the way I looked. We had both asked Alice not to comment about our outfits because we wanted to surprise each other with our reactions. My hair was its usual curly self and I knew that Bella liked getting her hands all tangled in it so that was supposedly fine. I wore a pair of dark blue bootleg jeans, a sky blue shirt and a dark navy blue V-neck sweater. My shoes were a pair of dark blue Chuck Taylors. I knew Bella would love those. I decided against using perfume as I always noticed Bella inhaling my scent deeply and I didn't want to mask it for her. So I grabbed my wallet, keys and cell phone and walked downstairs. I wore my riding jacket and held the bag with the new riding jacket and helmet I had bought for Bella that morning. And then I sped off towards Bella's house and skipped that part by about a mile. I parked my Harley off the road and ran back home to get my car. I didn't want Charlie hating me.

**Bella's POV**

I looked at myself in the mirror. I frowned; no matter how good I looked, I would never compare to Jasper's natural beauty with his wonderful long golden hair and those beautiful eyes and that way too adorable Southern smile, voice and accent of his. I took my appearance in. I was wearing a navy blue skirt which flowed down to the middle of my thighs, a white top with spaghetti straps and lace at the cups and a white short sleeved long cardigan with navy blue stripes in the centre. The outfit accentuated my shape. I had let my hair dry naturally and a section of it was pulled backwards. I had never tried out this look before but I liked it. I was also wearing some make-up; a tiny amount of black eyeliner, some dark blue eye shadow and some dark red lipstick. I didn't need to apply bronzer or blusher; I blushed enough already. My shoes were amazing and dangerous. I was wearing high-heeled navy blue shoes which Alice had so conveniently bought me the previous week and were not a good combination with my injured ankle but I was getting better. I threw my keys and other stuff in my navy blue handbag and went downstairs.  
"Whoa Bells," my dad said, "You look beautiful. Where are you off to?"  
"Thanks dad," I said as I blushed, "Yeah, I have a date."  
"But Bells," he told me, "You just broke up with Edward. You were so keen on him. Is your date with him?"  
I shook my head, "I was just kidding myself with Edward…we have been over for a long time and it took me this long to realize. I'm going out with Jasper…"  
"What?" he asked, "Alice's boyfriend."  
"They've been over for a long time too. And she gave me her blessing. As did Edward to Jasper."  
"Oh," he told me, "Mmm."  
"Please dad," I said, "I really like him. He's a gentleman."  
"I hope so," he told me.  
"I think he would like to meet you officially before he takes me out on our date. Is that ok with you?"  
"Of course," he told me.

I poured some root beer for my dad and then the doorbell rang. I smoothed down my skirt and went to open the door. He looked better than any Greek god I could have ever seen. He gave me a wonderful half smile and I smiled back.  
"You look amazing darlin'," he told me, "You're so beautiful."  
"You too Jasper," I replied, "You look exceptionally handsome in those colours."  
He smiled at me.  
"Come on in," I told him, "I want to introduce you to my dad, like you asked."  
"That's amazin'," he told me.

I took his hand and led him to the kitchen where my dad was sipping his root beer. Charlie stood up and turned around. I could tell that he was slightly dazzled by Jasper's beauty.  
"Hello Jasper," he said, "I'm Charlie Swan, Bella's father."  
Jasper reached out to shake his hand, "I'm Jasper Whitlock Hale. Thank you for letting me into your home Chief Swan."  
"Would you like something to drink?"  
"Oh no thank you," Jasper said, "I just drank some water at home."  
"Ok well," my dad said, "enjoy yourselves kids."  
"Thank you," Jasper replied, "What time should I bring Bella home?"  
"Bring her home by eleven," my dad said.  
"Ok," Jasper told him, "she'll be home by then. It was a pleasure meeting you Chief."  
Jasper walked out of the kitchen and out of the front door to give me some moments to say goodbye to my father.

"You're right," my father said, "he's a gentleman _and_ he's better than Edward. Enjoy yourself Bells."  
"Thanks dad," I replied, blushing. He hugged me, which was quite unusual of him and then I walked out of the house to find Jasper waiting for me on the steps.  
"That went well," he told me. I nodded. He took my hand in his and led me to the car where he opened the door for me. He then quickly got into the driver's seat and waited for me to buckle my seat belt. He buckled his own just to make me feel better.  
"I thought we were riding your motorbike," I told him.  
"Yeah," he replied, "we are. But I couldn't let your dad know that."  
He drove for about another mile or so and then he handed me a paper bag. I opened it and found an extremely expensive genuine leather riding jacket and a helmet. I could already feel my face becoming scarlet. I looked up at him.

"Don't you like them?" he asked me.  
"Yes," I replied, "I love them. But these cost a lot of money. I can never buy you anything this expensive. It makes me feel bad."  
"You don't have to feel that way baby," he told me, "I bought them because I want to make sure you are both safe and warm while we're riding and because I know you will look adorable in them. I have money to spend and I want to spoil you a bit. I promise it won't be excessive."  
I nodded, "Thank you Jazz." We got out of the car and I wore my riding jacket and helmet. When I looked at him, I could see that he had put on a riding jacket as well. We walked for about three minutes and he walked a bit to the side, holding my hand and leading me behind him. His bike was parked in a small woody area. It was a beautiful motorcycle. It was a pitch black and it shone. Its metal was all chrome and shiny. I wanted to touch it so badly.

"You can touch it if you want to Bella," he told me. I started to blush again but he took my hand in his and led my fingers across the bike's body. It felt amazing.  
He hopped on and I followed, fixing my skirt so that I could be comfortable and then we sped off towards Port Angeles.

Being so close to Jasper was amazing. My arms were wrapped around his waist, my hands clasped together at the waistline of his jeans. My head was buried into his back, my helmet reducing the closeness. I wanted to be this close to him forever. It was a longing I had never even felt for Edward. My heart sank when he parked the motorbike off the road in Port Angeles. We got off and he turned around to face me and removed my helmet.  
"What's wrong?" he asked me, "Disappointment shot out from you the moment we arrived."  
"I liked being close to you," I mumbled.  
"That's very sweet Bella," he told me, "I liked being close to you too." I took off my riding jacket and he took off his and then he folded the jackets and put the helmet in the paper bag and held it in his left hand while we walked towards the city centre. He searched for my left hand with his free hand and he intertwined his fingers with mine. I could feel electricity buzzing through my veins at his touch. It was amazing and so beautiful; the feeling I got whenever he touched me.

"So where are you taking me?" I asked.

**Jasper's POV**

She was excited; I could tell – it was coming out of her in what seemed to be bullets of excitement. I had planned an amazing first date. I was first going to take her to see a movie and then we were going to dinner; both of us. It would be an amazing surprise. Edward would have refused to show her something like this, but I wanted her to see me in every way possible; to know all of me – not just one side. I would obviously ask her to be a bit distant because when in hunting mode, my bloodlust often took control, but my emotions for Bella were now stronger than any bloodlust I had ever felt.

So I led her to the movie theatre and cut the tickets for the latest action/romance movie. At first, the movie was quite cliché and I couldn't wait until it was over, but then she turned around and looked at me with those beautiful big brown eyes filled with the love that was emanating from her very being and then she reached out with her hand to tangle her fingers in my hair and pulled my face down towards hers and she kissed me with a longing and a need. I responded with an equal passion. I let my hands get lost in her beautiful brown hair and kept pulling her closer to me. Before we knew it, she was sitting in my lap and our tongues were lost inside each other's mouths. I released her so that she could catch her breath and when I looked at her she was so beautiful. Her face was flushed from both the passion and the embarrassment, her brown eyes shining brightly with joy and excitement, darting from side to side, searching my face for a similar emotion. Her teeth were not digging into her lips as usual. Her wonderful lips were slightly parted and slightly redder from all the pressure, waiting for more. She looked unbelievably hot and I wanted her in every possible way. I wanted her forever and I wanted her at that moment more than anyone could ever begin to imagine.  
"I want you," I mumbled.  
"Me too Jasper," she whispered. The way she murmured my name made my stomach flutter with butterflies and my dead heart seemed to have risen back to life again. She made me feel alive and she made me feel like a man. I slid my hands down towards her waist and pulled her in closer to me. The closeness of her body to mine sent unfamiliar tingles down my spine and I knew that I had to stop or I would unintentionally hurt her. So I kissed her deeply once more and then let her back down onto her seat.

"Why?" she asked me.  
"I might hurt you," I told her, "Don't worry. We'll continue later tonight; just not in this moment. I promise."  
"Edward used to stop kissing me because he was afraid of hurting me. Don't become like him, please…" she begged.  
"I won't _ever_ reject you the way he did Bella. I can promise you that. We'll do that again later, I swear."  
"Ok," she said. She gave me a small and embarrassed smile and then turned back around to watch the rest of the movie, sinking in deeper into her seat. Her heart was beating erratically and her face was becoming more flushed.

"Don't feel embarrassed sweet pea," I said, "I want you as much as you want me and then some more."  
She smiled at me and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. I wanted to turn around and kiss her smack on the lips so badly but I didn't want to get carried away in the movie theatre. I silently thanked God for making me book backseat tickets; otherwise we would have provided an intense show for all to see during our passionate moment.

When the movie was over, we walked out of the theatre hand in hand. Bella said that the movie had been very interesting but she had been quite distracted by something much more beautiful than the movie itself. I replied by telling her that there must have been something in the theatre because the same thing had happened to me. This caused her to giggle softly.

"You're so funny when you're feeling free Jasper," she told me, "people who don't know you would never think you'd be like this. Do you know what Jessica Stanley described you as the first time I saw you? She told me, 'Jasper is the blonde guy who always looks like he's in pain.' I wonder if she'd appreciate the fact that you get that expression just by resisting going over and sucking her dry…maybe she'd appreciate you more if she knew…maybe they all would. It's not fair Jazz…people think of all of you as different and misfits…that you guys keep to yourselves because you're snobs or something. Nobody knows that it's for their own good and wellbeing that you do something like that…nobody can appreciate how all of you go out of their way to protect them. Especially you…" she trailed off as she turned and placed her hands on my chest. Her touch sent those newly discovered shivers down my spine again.

"Your touch is amazing," I whispered to her.

**Bella's POV**

"_You_ are amazing," I replied, "everything about you amazes me. When I met Edward, I was fascinated by the vampire…by everything that made him different…by the boy who stood in front of me. Now that I have really met you…I am fascinated by the man who's standing in front of me. Because that's what you are Jasper; you're a man."  
"And you're a woman," he told me, "An independent woman…who has chosen to love me out of her own accord. And that means a lot to me Bella."  
"_You_ mean a lot to me," I replied.

He took my hand in his and bent down to whisper in my ear, "As do you." His voice, warm like the Southern sun travelled into my soul and it sent chills around my body. We walked a further distance and stopped in front of a brand new restaurant. It appeared to be sophisticated. The exterior was painted a light brown. The steps leading up to the front door were a dark brown, setting a pleasant contrast. The door itself had a wooden frame of the same shade and a lot of glass, giving outsiders an incredible view of the inside. A lantern hung in front of the door and it all felt warmer. We walked up the steps and Jasper held the door open for me, allowing me to go inside. He followed and we walked to the podium where a host was chatting to another couple. He looked at us and Jasper announced a booking for two on the terrace for a Jasper Whitlock. The host led us to the back of the restaurant. The interior was exceptionally beautiful with all of its intricate design, richly polished furniture and fine art, but it was nothing next to the terrace. There were a couple of tables. Each table was round with a granite top and a fine metal base which started out at the centre of the table and divided into four legs at the floor. The chairs matched and had comfortable cushions at the seat to ensure comfort. There were fairy lights all over the place and some soft music was playing. There was marble fencing all around the terrace, making it seem like a sort of ground floor balcony.

"This is beautiful," I told him, "But it looks expensive."  
"I said I wanted to spoil you, didn't I?" he asked. He held a chair for me so that I could sit down and then he sat opposite me.  
"Yeah," I replied, "And you're doing a very good job at that."  
"I wouldn't want anything less for you," he told me, "The terrace is reserved for us only tonight."  
"What?" I asked, "Why?"  
"Do you feel unsafe in just my presence?" he asked, "don't be afraid to say yes. If so, we could just go back inside with the other people."  
"No," I replied, "that's not it; I love being alone with you. But it must have cost more money."  
"What is it with you and money?" he asked, "We have loads of it; I have nothing better to spend it on than you and I never will have."  
"That's very sweet Jasper," I told him, "But my problem is that I can never spoil you in the same way."  
"Maybe you will be able to one day, if things go my way."  
A sudden image of myself wearing white and walking towards Jasper in a tuxedo came inside my mind and an unbelievable wave of bliss moved throughout my body. I felt guilty. I had rejected Edward so many times and here I was, dreaming of something like this so soon.

"What's wrong?" he asked me.  
"It's nothing," I replied, "Just the usual thoughts. Don't worry Jasper."  
"What are you eating?" he asked, deciding to allow me some privacy. I looked at the menu. Everything was expensive so I decided to go ahead and try the rib-eye steak in steak sauce. Jasper ordered the same food as myself.

"What did you order food for?" I asked, "you don't eat."  
"Yeah," he told me, "but normal people don't come here to not eat."  
"You'll never be normal Jasper," I replied, "You're too special for that." He was projecting happiness and pure joy and I knew he was unaware of this as he soon reigned it in and I knew he would be blushing if he had been able to. Our drinks arrived and I sipped at my soda while we waited for our food. He covered my hand with his.

"I've still got another surprise for you tonight," he told me, "I want this to be the most special first date ever."  
"Thanks Jasper," I replied, "You really do make me feel special in a way that Edward was never able to."  
"It's because you are that special and I'm not afraid to show you because I don't want to be away from you. Edward wanted you to live a happy life without us even if that meant he was sad, but I can't bring myself to imagine you being happy without me."  
"I wouldn't be," I told him, "And that's a promise. Always remember that." I shifted the positions of our hands so that mine was covering his and I squeezed his wonderful and silky hand. He never felt like stone to me. He was so much more relaxed than Edward. Sure, he was freezing, but hell…he warmed me up inside. Not even Jacob had been able to do that to this extent.

The food soon arrived and I started to cut up the meat into small pieces and eating it. Jasper moved at vampire speed to dispose of his own food bit by bit in different trashcans. Nobody even noticed his absence. We were all alone and the waiters didn't come out frequently. He would have been too fast for them to see anyway. So when I was finished, we waited for the waiter to come and collect the plates. I ordered some berry cobbler for myself and was surprised that they had any since this was such a fine restaurant. It was the most delicious berry cobbler I had ever tasted. Jasper paid for the whole meal and left a generous tip. He also paid the extra fee for booking the terrace. Then he took my hand and we walked out of the restaurant.

"So what's my surprise?" I asked.  
"You'll see," he replied. I took his wrist in my hand and looked at the time. It was still nine thirty so we still had an hour and a half left together. We walked to his motorbike and he turned to look at me with a smile in his eyes. He took out my riding jacket and asked me to turn around and then he put it on me. The way his hands moved slowly as he pulled up my sleeves made me tremble at his touch. He wrapped his arms around my waist and placed a kiss on my neck.

I turned around and looked him in the eye. "I don't know why Edward was so cautions about you. Your self-control is amazing."  
"I struggle," he told me, "I want your blood of course, but my love for you is so strong that it overpowers the bloodlust."  
He placed the helmet on my head and was in his own riding jacket before I knew it.  
"You can drive if you want," he told me with a smile playing on his lips.

I could feel my eyes widen from underneath the helmet.  
"Really? Oh my God…this is PERFECT."  
He laughed and said, "reign in your excitement. I'm gonna start jumping up and down like Alice if you throw any more of that at me."  
"Sorry," I mumbled. I got onto the bike, not without falling first at which he helped me up, and then he hopped on behind me and I asked him where to. He said we should go near our clearing. I released the clutch and started the bike. He wrapped his arms around my waist, giving me tingles and I almost swerved off the road at the distraction. We arrived to the clearing without injury. It had been an amazing ride. I had felt free and independent and I loved it. I loved everything about being with Jasper.

"Thanks. That was a wonderful surprise," I told him.  
"That's not the surprise," he said as I took off my helmet and riding jacket, "this is."  
I looked around me. There was nothing there except for us.  
"I want to do things differently than Edward. You have to stay back because I will be animalistic and don't want to risk hurting you, but I want you to know all sides of me. You're going to watch me hunt."  
I had never felt so accepted and appreciated in my life. Tears sprang to my eyes. Jasper smiled widely. He could feel the appreciation, acceptance and joy coming out of me and I couldn't reign it in.  
"You are the best person in the world," I told him.

I remained standing near a tree and he handed me his v-neck so that I could hold it for him. I inhaled his scent and kept the sweater tucked in close to me. I saw him stand up straight. I knew he had heard something. And then he crouched down into a hunting posture. His hair made him look even wilder and he was so beautiful like this. Other people might think I was crazy but when he was hunting, when the doe sprang into the clearing and he caught it without a second thought, as he lay it down on the ground and sunk his teeth into it, when he starting drinking in the blood in a wave of ecstasy…I knew that he would kill anyone who would ever try to hurt me; I knew he would keep me safe. He was beautiful, shining in all his glory. When he looked at me, his eyes were even more golden than before. I smiled at him.

"You're beautiful Jasper," I told him, "And now I know…that no matter what, you will always keep me safe."  
He excused himself for a moment and when he returned, any traces of blood were gone from his face. He had washed up at the nearby stream. There were a few droplets of water on his shirt. He walked over to me and bent down so that I could reach up to pull his v-neck down onto him.

"I liked that," he told me, "the way you made me feel when you put it on."  
"Jasper," I said, "You're beautiful. Always beautiful…"  
"Can I ask something?" he asked.  
I nodded.  
"Would you like to be my girlfriend Isabella?" he whispered. The way his voice moved and danced around my name, the way his Southern accent slipped as he said it made me feel all warm and tingly inside so I just looked at him and did not answer for what seemed to be hours but were probably only seconds.  
"Yes Jasper," I replied, "I wish for nothing more than I wished for that."  
"I love you Bella," he told me, "And every moment that ticks by, my love is strengthened." 

**Jasper's POV  
**

"I feel the same way about you Jasper," she told me, "I love being with you. I want to be with you forever."  
"I want to be with you forever too," I replied, "I love you and I can't stop saying it because I feel it."  
"I know," she told me, "I love you too."  
"Jasper…" she said softly after a while.  
"Yes?"  
"Please…never leave me…"  
"I promise," I told her, "I promise I will never stop loving you and I will never leave you no matter what."  
"Neither will I. I will love you and stick by your side forever."  
She knotted her hands in my hair and pulled me down to kiss me. I held her against a tree and we shared a long and passionate kiss. Then we lay down on the grass and she snuggled up close to me. She ran her fingers along some of the scars on my neck lovingly.

"Everything about you is so beautiful," she told me, "You're so amazing…so perfect…how did I ever get so lucky?"  
"You didn't," I told her, "You're more beautiful than I ever was or ever will be Bella."  
"That's not true," she replied, "You're the most beautiful being I have ever laid eyes on."  
She kissed my neck where the scars were and it made me tingle.

I saw that it was only fifteen minutes to eleven so I picked her up and ran towards the car and then I drove my girlfriend home, then dashed back to get the bike back to my house before returning to her bed so hold her until she slept and dreamt sweet dreams of our beautiful, glorious and unconditional love.

_I love you Isabella.  
__

**A.N. Ok review :D next chapter is going to be moments between them I think. I will update soon, hopefully by next Sunday :) But probably earlier.**

**I love my reviewers, so become a part of them :P and those of you that review frequently…I really appreciate all of you. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. **

**Jess xx**


	12. Chapter 12 : Summer Loving

_**A.N. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. A special shout-out to willow moore who is the 100**__**th**__** reviewer :D This chapter will be snippets from Bella and Jasper's most romantic moments of their summer together. It will be in both Bells and Jazz's point of view. I hope you enjoy it. There won't be any drama…yet… that will come in the winter ^^ **_

_**So read, enjoy and please continue reviewing :) **_

**Chapter 12 : Summer Loving **

**Jasper's POV**

I held Bella in her sleep every night. She looked so beautiful with her eyes closed and a slight smile on her beautiful lips. I sometimes wished she didn't have to sleep so that I could have more time with her, but at the same time she looked so adorable, cuddled up to me with her hands resting on my chest and her hair sprawled all over me. I loved having my arm around her and I hoped that she would never decide to leave me, for I surely wouldn't. Love and peace radiated from her being every moment I was around her. Edward was gone. He had left a week after my first date with Bella and had moved up to Alaska with the Denali clan for a while. They were happy to accept him and he had called to tell us that he was happy even though he missed us all. He said he might be back some time during winter and that he would drop in for a weekend before we all moved to college.

"Jazz," Bella said one afternoon, "Are you going to change me yet?"  
"I thought we should wait a while." I told her, "I mean…you're still eighteen and I'm twenty so there's no rush. We could wait until you're my age so that you're sure this is the life you want."  
"I _am_ sure; I'm positive," she told me, "I want to be a part of your family."  
"You already _are_ a part of my family Bella," I replied, "You're a Cullen no matter what you choose or which life you decide on leading. But I'd like to give you some more time to think things through and to do things you would never be able to do as a vampire. I want you to taste different types of food, to sunbathe and go swimming and to be able to be around your parents for a while longer. If you are changed, you'll have to cut contact with them abruptly to avoid hurting them and it's better if you slowly let them go."  
"Maybe you're right," she told me, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait for a while longer. But I hate it when you have to leave for hunting trips. I want to be able to hunt with you. Watching you hunt was so mesmerizing. I enjoyed myself so much. You're hot when you're in predator mode. It turns me on…" I could feel her embarrassment after the words came out of her mouth but I could also feel her lust. We had been together for a month and a half. We were now lying down on her bed next to each other. I turned around and lay myself on top of her and then I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her with a fiery passion. My tongue got lost inside her mouth and I could tell that her heart was hammering in her chest. I wanted to touch her and I wanted all of her but I had to control myself until she asked more of me. My lips moved with hers in a co-ordinated battle.  
"God Jasper," she said, "I want you."  
"I want you too," I whispered as I continued to kiss her. My lips made a trail down her neck and to her collarbone.  
"Make love to me Jasper," she told me.  
"We haven't been together long enough," I said softly as I sat up and looked at her.  
"I know I want you forever," she told me, "I don't need time to know that."  
"You thought it was like that with Edward too," I replied softly.  
"That was different. I felt different and I thought different."  
"But you wanted him to make love to you. I could feel your lust."  
"Was it this strong?" she asked.  
I looked at her and shook my head, "No…never…"  
"He said no cos he didn't want to hurt me, but you saying no to me is hurting me worse."  
"Sorry baby," I told her, "I'd never want to hurt you. I will make love to you but let's just give it a couple more months, ok?"  
"You're not sure are you?" she asked me, "You're not sure if it's me you want. Of course not. I'm just a pathetic human, and not one of the most beautiful either. And you're so godlike and perfect. Why am I kidding myself about this?" 

**Bella's POV**

His lips pressed down on mine to shut me up and then he released me and looked at me.  
"Don'...you," he said, one syllable at a time, "I have never wanted someone or something so much in my life. I want to touch you all over and to have you right here, all mine…I want to be in your arms and you in mine until I die, if ever. If ever I have to leave this immortal life, I want to leave it in your arms. Bella…you are the most beautiful person I have ever encountered, better than any vampire I have ever laid eyes on. You dazzle me in your human form. When you're changed, you will _be_ a goddess…Bella…"  
The way he whispered my name sent shivers down my spine. It made me want him even more. I took his hand in mine. His eyes were closed and pressing down hard from all of the emotion. He was shuddering as he whispered my name. I opened the palm of his hand and took his index finger in my own hand and then I ran his finger up my arms and over my shoulder and collarbone down to the neckline of my shirt.

"Stop."  
"I'm sorry," I mumbled.  
"Don't be," he told me, "But you're making me want you even more. I just want to wait just so you know that you're not wasting your virginity on me."  
"I won't be wasting it on you," I replied. I could tell that his heart sank at those words.  
"Relax," I said, "I'm a virgin, and I _will_ lose my virginity to you. But it won't be a waste." He relaxed at my words.

I kissed him softly and we let it go. Every evening, he came to my house and watched TV with my dad and myself and after he left for the night, my dad would smile softly and then I'd shower and go to my room to find my angel waiting for me on the bed. Every morning, we'd spend time outside. Sometimes we'd visit the Cullen home and other times we'd go to the indoor pool. There was no sunlight in there so we were safe. People were surprised and Jessica was glad to have all the gossip in the world. Nobody could believe that Alice and Jasper had broken up and that I was dating him. But their biggest disbelief was both Jasper and I's involvement in society. We had started visiting the pool and Port Angeles together. Sometimes we watched movies and other times we just hung out there. Often, we went for walks in the woods. Every time the sun shone, Jasper would reluctantly unbutton his shirt and lay down in it so that I could see him sparkle. He was more beautiful than any sight I had ever seen. His scars shone like a beautiful magical tattoo, his golden hair and eyes seemed to shine harder like gold. Everything about him sparkled, especially his beautiful smile. He was beautiful and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. I couldn't wait until I was immortal, just like him. But it wouldn't hurt to wait a while. It would also help him to get even more used and immune to my scent before he had to endure my blood in his mouth.

"I can't wait until you change me; to have your venom running inside my veins," I told him, "I think that's more intimate than sex."  
"I guess so," he replied, "I love you Bella. But I want you to cherish what's left of your human life before I change you. How about we go on a holiday?"  
"Really?" I asked. I jumped up and down with joy. I hadn't been this excited in ages.  
It took a while to convince Charlie to let us go on holiday together but then I promised that we wouldn't sleep in the same room. We even booked two rooms for show; Jasper had the money anyway. And then we left. We packed our bags and got on a plane to California. I knew Jasper would not be able to come to the beach with me, but he often watched me from a distance as I lay in the sun and swam in the water. We even sometimes swam during the night. We had been together for three months now. I would be starting college at Dartmouth as a freshman. He was supposed to be becoming a sophomore at Harvard but decided to transfer to Dartmouth so that we could be together.

California was amazing. We even made love for the very first time when we were there. It was our third night on holiday. I was wearing a white dress with spaghetti straps, a v-neck neckline, and which went down to my knees. It was a beautiful dress. He was wearing jeans and a polo shirt.

"Please Jasper," I said, "Let's make love tonight. I'm sure I want you to do this."  
"Ok," he said. He kissed me on the edge of my jaw and picked me up bridal style. He set me down and lay me down gently on the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and then curled up so that he was next to me. His lips pressed down softly on mine and then he whispered to me, "I'm sorry if this hurts you, but it always does the first time."  
"My joy will overcome the pain," I replied. He sat up and smiled at me, his love shining in his eyes. He sent over waves of calm to me and I squeezed his hand. He sat me up and undid the zipper for my dress and then he lifted it up over my head. He took my hand in his and placed it over his t-shirt. I lifted it up over his head. I traced a line down his chest and over his abdomen and then I unbuttoned his jeans and slid down the zipper and helped him to squirm out of his jeans. He lay on top of me and kissed me softly and gently. It was a slow yet passionate kiss. He slowly removed the rest of my underwear and I removed his. He was the most beautiful person and thing I had ever seen and would ever see in my entire life.

"You are beautiful," he told me, "I love you."  
And then he took both of my hands in his and he entered me. It was painful. But I was ecstatic.

**Jasper's POV**

She was truly the most beautiful thing and person I had ever laid eyes on ever since I was first born as a human. In all of my immortal life, I had never seen anyone her equal. She was amazing. I loved everything about her and I knew then that I would never stop loving this girl…this woman lying down underneath me. The moment I entered her, a rush of pain came flowing from her but then pure bliss replaced it. I could feel myself becoming happier as well. We were surrounded by an aura of happiness and joy. I lowered myself and our lips collided. We lost ourselves in a hot and passionate kiss. Our tongues battled for dominance and our lips seemed to be stuck together, moving around fast and in slow motion at the same time. She removed her hands from mine and ran them through my hair, getting her fingers knotted in my locks. I copied her and let my hands find the back of her head.

I loved her more than I had ever loved anyone or anything. She had truly become my only reason to live, to smile, to breathe unnecessarily. She had brought me back to life from my long slumber. I had been dead for such a long time, and here I was feeling alive and young again. I felt like a man, falling in love for the very first time. I felt like a man instead of the monster I felt that I was. She reassured me so many times that I would never be a monster in her eyes, that I would always be Jasper, her soul mate and her true love.

"Jasper," she said softly.  
"Yes darlin'?" I asked.  
"Have I told you lately that you're the most amazing thing that entered my life? You blessed my life Jazz…"  
"Oh sweet pea," I said, "You too."  
"I love you," she mumbled, "And I will love you forever."  
"I love you too darlin'."  
And I knew then what I wanted. I wanted one thing more than I had ever wanted in my entire life.

All I wanted was one thing… _Isabella Marie Whitlock Hale…_I wanted to make her my wife.

_**A.N. Hope you enjoyed that. Was not a very long chapter! Next chapter, some snippets of the fall – beginning of college. Then comes the drama! **_

_**Love all of you :) **_

_**Jess xx**_


	13. Chapter 13 : College

_**A.N.: Ok this is the chapter before the drama. Now, I have some warnings to make. The drama may sadden or anger some of you, well most… but I promise you will like the way things turn out! That's a promise. Now…let's get on with this chapter!**_

**Chapter 13: College **

I zipped up the last bag. Charlie was busily flitting around my room checking that I had taken everything that was necessary.  
"Bells," he said, "just…"  
"Dad. Stop worrying. I'm fine."  
"I know," he said, "It's just… You're moving away and I'm going to miss you kid."  
"I'm going to miss you too dad. But I would have had to move away at some point or another. It's better this way. At least you'll know I didn't move on because I hated it here or something."  
"I know Bella," he told me, "I'm so proud of you. That Jasper kid had better look out for you."  
"Of course," I replied, "He will. He loves me."  
"Don't do anything rash," he told me. I could feel myself blushing.  
"Bella," he said, "Try to take care of yourself but remember that I'll be here if you ever need me or if you're ever in trouble."  
"I know that dad," I replied, "And thank you for being so awesome. You're like the best dad in the world."  
He hugged me awkwardly and then picked up the bag and took it downstairs to my truck to join the rest. I was going to the Cullen home so that Jasper could join me in my truck to the airport. Charlie waved me off one last time and I could swear there was the glint of a tear in his eye. I hated moving away from him knowing that I would soon be out of his life forever. Sure, I still had like a year left but it still hurt to let him go after all that he had done for me. Renee had come to visit during the previous week. We had spent the whole week together; just us three. We had almost felt like a real family. I had also spent loads of time with the Cullens but we knew that they would be able to visit us often unlike my parents. Renee had left the previous night. I was shaken out of my thoughts when the Cullen home came into view. I beeped my car horn and they all came out. Edward was currently at home for the weekend and was coming to wave us goodbye. Alice was leaving for college the following weekend. Rosalie and Emmett were off on another honeymoon. I knew that Alice hated repeating college but it gave her an excuse to buy lots of cute new outfits. When I finished from Dartmouth, we would move to a new place and get into school as high school students. I got out of my truck to hug Esme, Alice and Carlisle. They all held me in their arms, especially Alice. She said she would miss me. I asked her to transfer for one last time but she said she wanted to go to Alaska.

"Why?" I asked, "Why are you so insistent?"  
She pulled me away and ran off with me so that we would be out of their hearing range.  
"Edward's…Edward's been having some negative thoughts lately. He's been planning to visit Aro again. I need to be there to control him in time."  
"Why didn't you tell me?"I asked, "Jasper and I could have transferred there with you."  
"No," she told me, "he couldn't have you there together. It would have made him feel worse."  
"I'm so sorry about what I've done to your family," I replied, tears suddenly falling down my face, "I broke you guys up as a family."  
"No," she told me, "Edward is trying hard to become a good friend to you; that is why he's having trouble dealing with stuff. He would like to spend more time with you but fears that he would disrupt your relationship with Jasper. It's ok. There will be plenty of time to spend with Edward when he moves back home."  
She hugged me and tried to reassure me and then I wiped my face and we ran back towards the Cullen home. Edward was next in my hugging sequence.

"Edward," I said.  
"Bella," he replied. His small crooked half-smile graced his face.  
"I know I have hurt you badly in the past, but I want you to know that you are very important to me regardless. I love you like a friend and I want to work on our friendship."  
"Things will work out in time," he told me. He hugged me, "Just enjoy yourself right now. This is a great experience for you. I'm proud of you Bella."  
"I'm proud of you too Edward," I told him, "You are handling things so nicely. We are all so very proud of you. Thank you Edward for bringing me into your world."  
He hugged me yet again and then released me so that I could join Jasper in my truck. The moment I buckled my seat belt, he drove off towards the airport. We held hands on the way and I played around with his fingers. We got on the plane and sat down in silence, staring at each other, smiling and playing with each other's hands.

College started the following Monday. I was nervous and afraid of not catching up but most students seemed to be similar to me in knowledge base. Jasper and I were sharing an apartment which Carlisle and Esme had bought for us. I remembered feeling embarrassed about it but they assured me that since it was for Jasper too I didn't need to consider it as a gift. That had made me feel better even though I knew they were just saying it. So the first weekend, we were curled up on the couch facing each other.

"Bella," he told me, "I have something to give you."  
"You know I hate it when people spend money on me," I replied.  
"Yeah," he said, "Well I'm sure this will mean a lot to you. And you didn't allow us to celebrate your birthday so I deserve to give you this." It was true; Jasper had been gracious enough to let me not celebrate my birthday.  
"Ok," I replied, "just get on with it."  
He gave me one of his heartbreaking smiles and I gave in. He went to our room at vampire speed and arrived sooner than I could blink my eyes. He had a box the size of the palm of his hand. I wondered what he had bought me.  
"This is just to show you that I love you and the family agreed to give it to you because you belong with all of us, especially me." He had an innocently smug smile on his face. Without taking the box, I lifted the lid and tears sprang to my eyes when I saw it.

It was the most wonderful platinum necklace with a platinum Cullen crest as a pendant.  
"Oh God," I said, "Oh my God! This is…this is…just perfect. Oh my God Jasper!" I wrapped my arms around his neck and he stroked my back.  
"You belong with us Bella," he told me.  
I smiled even though he couldn't see my face over his shoulder. I knew he could feel my happiness.  
"I knew you'd love it," he told me.  
"Put it on me," I told him.  
I swept my hair away and held it up and he fastened the necklace around my neck. I loved the feeling of his fingers at the back of my neck. He had become immune to the scent of my blood, unless I was bleeding.

That night, he woke me up, shaking me vigorously. When I got up, he was standing with his back pressed against the wall.  
"What?" I asked, "What's wrong?"  
"Bella," he told me, "Something's wrong. You're bleeding."  
"What day is it?"  
"October 12th." I counted back a bit and then smiled.  
"It's just my period Jasper. I'm sorry; I forgot to wear anything 'protective'. Just go get some fresh air, ok?"  
He nodded, "Are you sure you're ok?"  
"Yes," I told him, "I'm positive."  
He left the apartment to go and get some fresh air somewhere outside. Meanwhile, I grabbed the partially stained sheet and proceeded to throw it away. Washing it wouldn't do; he would still smell it. So I threw it away. At least, it hadn't stained the mattress. I washed the floor with bleach so that the room would take up the smell of it. Then, I grabbed the garbage bag with the sheets in it and took it outside so that the garbage truck could pick it up, and then I made the bed with new sheets. After I finished, I showered and this time remembered to use pads.

I called him on his cell phone to reassure him that it was ok for him to come. So he did; he came back and wrapped his arms around me.  
"I'm so sorry," he said, dry sobbing.  
"Why?" I asked, "I'm the one who should be sorry. You're a vampire Jasper; it's a natural reaction."  
"I know," he told me, "But I should be immune to it now."  
"What matters is that you loved me too much to do anything in the end and you have no idea of how much that really means to me Jazz."  
He held me closer to him and kissed my neck. He promised to make it up to me in some way or another, so the following evening we went to dinner.

College was turning out to be beautiful. During mid-terms, we went back to Forks for a couple of weeks so that I could visit my dad and Jacob and we could also see the Cullens. Edward was still in Alaska but I called him and Alice every week. He seemed to be happier now and I liked this.  
"Bella!" Emmett shouted as we parked the truck. He gave me one of his bear hugs and then handed me to Rosalie so that she could hug me.  
"I missed you sis," she told me. Then her eyes shot down to my neck and she smiled widely at me, "I see you're officially my sister now."  
I blushed and buried my face in her shoulder.  
"No need to be embarrassed," she told me, "I'm so happy!"  
"So am I," I told her, "I never knew it could be like this."  
"Neither did I," she replied.

Carlisle and Esme told me that they were so happy I had accepted the Cullen crest. We spent the whole weekend with them, my dad and Jasper and I also spent some time with Jacob near my house.  
"Bells," Jacob said as soon as he saw me, "I missed you."  
"I missed you too Jake," I told him. He picked me up and crushed me in a hug.  
"You been taking care of her Jazzy boy? He asked Jazz.  
Jasper laughed and nodded. I laughed too. We spent hours in the living room, chatting. Jasper and Jacob became close friends. Jasper left for a while so that Jake and I could have some privacy.

"How's college?" Jacob asked.  
"It's great," I replied, "I'm having lots of fun. And it's not that hard to catch up with the others."  
"I always knew you were a smart one," he told me.  
"Stop that," I said, blushing. We chatted for a while longer and then he left to go back home and Jasper came and joined me in my room after I called him.

Charlie was overjoyed to have me back with him for the weekend. He took me out to dinner on Saturday night and invited Jasper as well. He said he was proud of me for doing well at Dartmouth but that he was most proud because of who I was and that no college could ever change that. I almost cried when he said that. Charlie rarely showed his emotions, but when he did they were real and intense.

When we were back at college, Jasper and I made love for the second time in our relationship. He had told me that he wanted to take it slow and that he didn't want to give me the impression that sex was all our relationship was about. This touched me and I was willing to only make love occasionally. I loved him with all I had and all I would ever have and I knew I would never love someone the way I loved him. I knew he loved me too. He often projected his emotions and they were so intense and true. Classes were interesting but I honestly couldn't wait until I was changed; then I could go to any college I wanted forever.

"I want you to change me," I told him, "I'll start at Dartmouth again when I'm out of the newborn phase."  
"Just wait a while," he replied, "You're nineteen. We still have a year if you don't want to be older than me. You need to taste so many different types of food, to experience so many different things."  
"No," I told him, "I want to be like you."  
"Give it some time," he replied, "For me."  
"But you have to be the one to change me."  
He nodded, "I promise you."  
"Ok," I replied, "Fine." He kissed me on the tip of my nose and then started trailing kisses down my cheek. He made me laugh whenever he did this.

Jasper had to go hunt one week in the beginning of winter. He didn't go often, so when he went he left for a whole week. It felt weird being at home without him. The second morning alone, I felt sick. Great…so I had to be alone and I couldn't even go to classes to distract myself. I watched some TV but it made me dizzier. I was also very hungry but the moment the food touched my mouth, I had to go and throw up. It happened the following day as well and I was afraid that I had some kind of bug. So I decided to go to a doctor. It felt weird not having Carlisle as a doctor; with him it had all been so comfortable and with this doctor, everything was new. He had to check some vitals and ask me some questions. So one can imagine how shocked I was when he asked me for my period due date. I realized it had been four days before.

"Wait here," he told me. I waited and stared at the posters hanging on the walls. There was a diagram of the heart and another one of the digestive system. It was utterly disgusting so I turned my head and checked my hair in the mirror. Ok this was boring; I started feeling like Lauren. So I just stared at the wall in front of me and waited like a two-year-old near the principal's office. He returned and gave me a small box and then he asked me to go to the small cubicle at the back of his office and pee on the stick. I realized immediately that this was a pregnancy test. I knew this was absurd as Jasper couldn't have any children but then decided I should shut him up and just do it. So I did. I knew I couldn't be pregnant, and if I was ill Jasper could change me.

I handed him the stick and we waited for some time. When he said that he was finished, I was pretty sure that he was going to say it was negative so I waited casually for an answer.  
"You're pregnant Miss Swan," he said.  
"What?" I asked, "I can't be."  
"I know this is hard for you to take in, but-"  
"No," I replied, "I mean I literally _can't_ be. My boyfriend was diagnosed with infertility."  
"He must have been wrongly diagnosed then." He told me.

_Yeah right. Like he's the first vampire to walk the planet,_ I said in my head. I wouldn't believe him so he had me try out three different brands but they were all positive. That's when realization dawned on me.

_Oh shit, I'm pregnant!_

_**I hope you liked this. Next chapter….drama…. please; don't give up on the story after you read the next chapter. You will love how everything turns out to be with Bella and Jasper. I promise :) So review :D**_


	14. Chapter 14 : Announcement

_**A.N. I'm sorry for the long wait but I've been on holiday for a week. I haven't had wifi so I've just been writing without uploading. But thank you for the lovely reviews; I read all of them on my friend's iPhone :) **_

_**So, I hope this chapter does not disappoint you; don't give up on this fanfic because of it – you never know how things might turn out in the end :P **_

**Chapter 14 : Announcement**

**Jasper's POV **

Hunting was necessary but it was not as enjoyable as previous times. I was too consumed with my thoughts about my beautiful Bella; I love her so much. I couldn't wait to see her and to hold her in my arms again. I know I'm fast, but why couldn't I go faster? It seemed as if it would be eons until I could finally enter our apartment. I finally saw it but in all its luxurious and fashionable glory, all I could focus on was the sound of Bella's beautiful heartbeat and the strength of her scent reaching me from it. At times like these, I feel thankful for having heightened senses. Wait, I felt desperation and anxiety coming from our apartment. _I hope she's fine. _

**Bella's POV**

I heard the door click which must mean that Jasper had come home. Ok, what to tell him? I had been thinking about ways to break the news for three days and yet I still hadn't come up with a way to just say it without hurting him. What if he wanted a child and I didn't want it? Or what if he didn't want a child and I suddenly changed my mind? I got up from my place on the warm bed. It seemed as if I'd been frozen in the same position for thousands of years.

I was suddenly in his beautiful arms; he held me close and kissed me on my forehead and all over my face and then he captured my mouth with his own and I responded passionately, knowing that this might very well be the last time I ever felt those beautiful lips upon my own. I inhaled his scent as if I had never smelled him before. He's amazing in so many ways, and here I am…carrying his child. I suddenly felt love and maternal instincts rushing in. It's _his_ child; how can I not want it? Tears started rolling down my cheeks.

**Jasper's POV**

I felt a sudden rush of love and remorse at the same time coming from her. What had she done that was making her regret it so deeply?  
"Jasper," she said. I looked at her. Tears were rolling down her cheeks.  
"What's wrong darling?" I asked.  
"There's something I have to tell you."  
"Well, you know you can tell me anything sweet pea," I replied.  
"I love you," she told me.  
"I know," I told her, "is that all you were worried about telling me? I've known for a long time that you love me."  
"No Jazz," she told me, "That's not what I had to tell you. Jasper, I'm pregnant."

Wait…had she just said pregnant? I…I can't father children; I'm sterile. How could this happen to me? So was this what the remorse was for? Her…betraying me? I felt my eyes turning black and it was not out of thirst at all. All I wanted to do is to rip the head off of anyone who even thinks of touching her. But then I guess she was ok with it if she carried on with it.

There was only one plausible person, unless she cheated on me with someone from school. But this was unlikely; I would have smelled him on her. So there was only one possible candidate; Jacob. How could he do this to me? I thought we were friends…maybe Edward was right – maybe I shouldn't have trusted Jacob alone with her.

Pain hit me like thunder and it struck my dead heart, causing it to divide and then break into a million dead little pieces. I wanted to curl up in a corner and die. She looked at me with her eyes full of pain, regret and love. But is that love for me, or for someone else? Is that love for Jacob Black, my friend who deceived me? How could he? How could _she_? I thought what we had was special. I thought that I was her mate as much as she was mine.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "What are you thinking?"  
I could barely speak…had she thought I would take this lightly? I had trusted her fully. My heart had been hers; I had given it to her and I had opened up in ways I had never thought of opening up before. But she had broken me terribly and now I couldn't stay here. I couldn't stay here if she was pregnant with Jacob. It was his place to love her and protect her and his child now. 

"Did you think I was going to take this lightly?" I asked.  
"No," she replied, "of course not. _I_ didn't take it lightly…but…I didn't think you'd take it this way. I knew it would be hard to accept, but now things are like this…"  
"I can't…" I told her, "It's not my place anymore."

"Of course it is," she replied, "We belong together. We can get through this."

"I'm not sure we can."

"What are you saying Jasper?"

"I'm saying we're through."

"No," she told me, "Anything but that. I didn't know that this could happen; I would have taken precaution if I knew."

"Well," I replied, "you shouldn't have been fucked in the first place."

"You're one to talk," she told me, "You were fine with it."

"Yeah," I told her, "well I'm your boyfriend; I _should_ be fine with it."

"Then why are you being so difficult? I thought you would love me no matter what the circumstances. I thought you would love me no matter what happened between us. I think I was wrong."

"No," I told her, "Just because what we have has been broken does not mean that I don't love you anymore. That is one thing that will never change Bella."

"Please, Jasper," she replied, "Please…don't." I could feel her desperation and her pain flowing slowly into my very soul. My dead heart went out to her but she had broken me and I was feeling my own pain on top of her own. She had betrayed me with my friend; with _her_ friend. She had betrayed me so badly and it had crushed me. My dead heart was scattered in a million little pieces on the floor and I had to pick them up all by myself. Every little piece was still hopelessly in love with her and I knew that would never change, but this wasn't my place now. I had to leave. My pain would blind me. I would be too vulnerable to trust myself around her with that beautiful and delicious scent. And now it was Jacob's responsibility and Jacob's place by her side. He had fathered her child and now he deserved to love them both.

He had betrayed me; she had betrayed me…they had betrayed me together and yet I loved her so deeply still and I still cared for him. I may seem like a fairly regular person on the outside. People may think I'm quite average although weird. My own family may think that I'm normal but I'm not. I feel everything so deeply. Everything is so thorough for me. And I know that my heart will always be hers. I know I will never love another. She will always be the one. _My Isabella. _How I had wanted to make her my wife. How I had worried about her while she was probably in bed with _him_.

"Jasper…I know it will take some time to adjust but let's just think about everything before we do anything we might regret later on."

"I have to go," I told her, "I don't belong here anymore."

The very words I spoke were breaking my heart even more. I knew that being away from her would be more excruciating than any other pain I had ever been through; than any other resistance to my undying bloodlust. I would miss her. I would miss her face and her smile and her scent. I would miss her loving character, her selflessness…but why would she do this? It was so unlike her. I wanted to believe that it had not happened but there was no other explanation. I needed something, something to hold onto. So in one quick move I removed her necklace and held it in the palm of my hand.

Her hand flew up to her neck and clasped itself around the empty area where the chain had been. Tears filled up her eyes.

"Am I no longer one of you?" she asked.

"No," I lied, "You aren't."

Her heartbreak was excruciating. I could literally feel her soul shattering. I could feel her heart tearing up and a huge hole breaking open inside her chest. I could feel her digging out buried emotions; things she had felt before. But I could tell that this time, she was feeling everything more intensely.

"I'm sorry if I'm hurting you," I told her, "But you hurt me too. Take care of yourself. Don't try to contact me; I won't have my cell phone. Tell Alice not to look for me; I don't want them to talk to me – I need some time. If you're ever in any mortal danger…then that's an exception…"

"Jasper…" she said as she swallowed back her choked tears, "don't."

"Goodbye Bella."

"No," she whispered. She took my hand in her own and I could feel my heart fluttering but then my pain came crashing back down on me. I released her hand and looked at her for one last time.

"Oh," I said, "And tell Jacob I said congratulations."

"Congratulations for what?" she asked.

**Bella's POV**

"For becoming a father," he replied. And then he was gone in a flash and realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

"But Jasper..._you're_ the father," I whispered. But he was long gone, far far away where he would never hear me.

So I curled up into a ball on the living room floor and waited for death to come and devour me.

**A.N. I'm sorry if that chapter was short. But I promise next chapter will be much much much longer. This was probably one of the most important chapters in this fanfic. Don't give up on this story. I'm sure you'll love the way it turns out.**

**Review :D **


	15. Chapter 15 : Help

_**A.N. **__**I'm sorry about the whole crushed Bella thing but things will become clearer with both Jasper and Bella. **_

_**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. You are the best readers in the world :D **_

_**I would like to thank my close friends Crista and Claire and my two wonderful cousins Nicole and Shana for reading my fanfic and liking it :D**_

_**So enjoy :) **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own The Twilight Saga. Don't make me say it again…please? Fine! I don't own Jasper either..happy? **_

_**P.S. Italics : Dream, Return to non-italics : After waking up**_

**Chapter 15 : Help**

**Jasper's POV **

The pain I was feeling was unbearable. Letting her go had been the hardest thing I had ever done. I had wanted to stay with her, to hold her and to forgive her. But that wouldn't be fair; she deserved to be with her lover. The child deserved it. Jacob deserved it. And it hurt me that they all deserved to be in the picture and I didn't.

Bella had made her choice and I wasn't going to be like Edward; I wasn't going to be the one to stop her. If she had wanted to be with Jacob she could have just told me, but then I guess after all of her sour experiences with Edward she had thought better of it. But it still hurt like hell.

My heart was broken and I still loved her with all that I had. And I knew instantly that I would never stop loving her; she was and would always be my all.

But now she had to move on with her life, and I couldn't have her with a clouded mind thinking I was the one when she had Jacob to take care of. The very sound of his name hurt me.

Alice called me the moment I left but I crushed my cell phone into tiny specks and watched as it flew with the wind. I held Bella's necklace in my hands and squeezed my eyes shut as tears rolled down my cheeks.

**Bella's POV**

Hours must have passed. My mind was blank. It was consumed with the pain flowing up from my broken heart and the gaping hole in my chest. I had been broken before.

I had been hurt and left and broken up with. I had been thrown into mirrors and I had jumped off a cliff into the water and bumped my head. I had felt alone and scared. I had felt like it was the end of the world. But nothing had hurt me as much as this was hurting me.

It was like the re-opening of a wound with a dagger slashing through my heart. He had not even given me a chance to explain. He had not even trusted me for one second. He had left me. I was all alone now with a child to carry but I would carry that child with the greatest amount of love I could afford to give; it was his child…the only part of Jasper I would have from now on.

He had taken my necklace; I was no longer a part of his family. He had mistrusted me so badly. I would have never cheated on him with Jacob or with anyone else. Didn't he know that he was my world? Didn't he know that I loved him only and that he would always be the centre of my world? Didn't he know that had I been a wolf, he would have been my imprint; that he was the only thing that was holding me to the surface of the earth?

I guess he didn't know. He didn't know I would have done anything possible or impossible for him or in order to be with him. He didn't know my love as much as I had thought. And he didn't love me enough to let me explain. He had claimed to love me unconditionally, but it was a lie. If he had loved me unconditionally, he wouldn't have left me regardless of the situation.

I knew I needed help but I wasn't going to ask for it. I would just stay here and live out my life alone. I wouldn't even go back home to Charlie; cause him unnecessary pain. I would miss him and Renee with all my heart, as I would miss my other family – the Cullens. But without Jasper, everything seemed to be too much to face. I hoped that Alice wasn't looking into my future; I didn't want to be a burden.

But I knew I needed help; I just wasn't worthy of it. This was all my fault. I hadn't been careful and to top it all I hadn't explained myself clearly enough for him. The pain that was engulfing my very soul was tearing me into pieces. I was afraid of the future but I was full of hatred; hatred towards myself and towards every fiber of my being.

My world had ended; I knew now. There was no light in my life except for the slight rays of hope coming from within me due to the presence of Jasper's child in my life. It was already dark when I felt myself being picked up into a pair of strong cold arms. I was either half asleep or half dead – I was not really sure of the situation.

"Jasper?" I mumbled.  
He didn't reply. I must have dozed off to sleep. I dreamt.

_His venom-coated teeth shine in the moonlight,  
His golden, topaz eyes are filled with love,  
His hair falls over his face,  
those blonde curls in their usual disarray,  
He's dangerous, but I love him anyway._

The bed I lay open is huge,  
The covers a blood red, ironically enough,  
He looks at me apologetically,  
"I love you Bella," he says, "I love you sweet pea"  
"I love you too Jasper, now do it; Change me.."

_And he looks into my big brown eyes for one last time,  
I'll know forever that he's mine,  
He listens to my heartbeat just once more,  
He stares as if he's never seen me before,  
And then he bites me; his venom rushes in,  
An adrenalin rush pumps underneath my skin…  
I'm changing…  
_

I wake up in a nightsweat, my face flushed,  
My heart is beating rapidly inside my chest.  
I look into the mirror to see my big brown eyes;  
It was just a dream, a dream I realize.  
And it dawns on me…  
I'm still human.

And the tears roll down my cheeks, hot tears of fury,  
Clear rivers filled with loneliness and pain.  
He'll never change me…he's gone…oh Jasper.  
I miss him and everything we could have become.  
Nobody will replace him; he'll always be the one.

My heart beats slowly now, yet it's still beating,  
My blush has been drained yet I've still blood,  
'Bella, you're a human…you always will be,' I tell myself,  
And the tears roll down my cheeks  
As Edward strokes my face in the pale moonlight.  
_

**Hope you liked the surprise at the end :P I'm sorry it was such a long wait, but I was so anxious for my results this week that all I've done is write poetry. P.s. I passed to university :D yay! I have seen Eclipse twice at the cinema and love it :D Read and Review peeps :) **


	16. Chapter 16 : Talking

_**A.N. Sorry for the ultra long wait, but I've had so much to do lately and my mind has been preoccupied with all sorts of things. So I hope this will make it up to you. Another dedication towards my awesome friend James who is reading and loving this fic :) **_

**Chapter 16: Talking **

**Bella's POV **

Wait, _Edward?_ "Edward; what are you doing here?"  
"Bella," he said, his musical voice close to human in comparison to Jasper's, "Alice saw you and I had to come. I couldn't just leave you here waiting for yourself to die. You were eventually going to die. She wanted to come here and is in fact on her way but I came here faster."

"You didn't have to do that Edward," I replied, "I'm not a part of your family anymore. Jasper even removed my necklace when he left."

"What exactly happened?" he asked me.

"I'm pregnant Edward," I replied.

"You're what?"

"Pregnant. And Jasper thinks I have cheated on him, but I haven't. He's the only person I have been with."

"But we can't…"

"Apparently you can," I told him, "He thinks I cheated on him with Jacob, but I would never do that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Edward," I replied, "So you don't believe me either?"

"No I do," he replied, "But it's so difficult to explain. We have to explain this to Jasper."

"He doesn't want to see me, ever." With that, the tears started rolling down my cheeks again.

"Bella, don't cry. I'm going to make things right again, I promise," he told me.

"But I want _Jasper_ to make things right. I've told you a million times that all we can be is best friends."

"That's all I'm going to give you," he replied, "I am not going to intrude. I am going to be your friend and nothing else, but I will be a shoulder to cry on and you can rely on me until we get Jasper back. Alice has started looking for him but his mind is flashing from one situation to another. He knows how to avoid her visions."

"This is bad," I told him, "Really bad. What am I going to do?"

"The first thing you have to do is to come with me so that I can take you to see Carlisle. He might know what has happened and what to do about it."

"Ok," I replied.

Edward and I talked all night long. He told me about Alaska and I told him about college to try and get my mind off of things.

"So," I said, "Have you found anyone else you're interested in?"

Judging from the look in his eyes, I could have sworn he would have blushed if he could. He slowly nodded and smiled slowly at me.

"Alice," he told me. I could feel a smile forming on my face. Happiness filled my heart and for a moment my sorrow was partially forgotten. I wrapped my arms around him and congratulated him.

"I am so happy for you," I told him, "Does she know?"

"Of course she knows," he replied, "She saw me falling for her and telling you. She feels the same; I've read her mind!"

"Stop prying around people's brains," I told him, "You're going to be one gifted couple." He smiled at me.

"Well…" he told me, "She wanted to see your reaction before we became a couple. After seeing you when Jasper left, she said she didn't want to risk us upsetting you but I had to tell you how I felt."

"I'm ok with all of it," I replied, "Jasper's going to be the only one for me…until I die…which I will; since I have no purpose to become one of you any longer."

Edward hugged me and held me while I silently cried and in the morning, Alice arrived and I hugged her so hard I almost crushed my arms around her marble waist.

"Gosh I am so happy for you," I told her. She smiled at me and held me close to her and then all three of us went to the car downstairs and drove to the airport. The plane ride was excruciating. I remembered being on a plane with Jasper on our way here. All of the precious memories I had came rushing through my mind and the moment he left me got stuck there; like an image embedded into my brains and it wouldn't go away. I didn't want to burden Alice and Edward so I bit back my tears. Alice scowled at me for doing that but I decided not to cry anyway. When we arrived in Seattle, we got into a car which seemed to have been brand new and was probably stolen, and sped off towards Forks. Alice used the hidden routes to avoid anyone noticing me. I didn't want my dad to know yet or perhaps not at all.

When I saw the Cullen residence, happiness and pain flooded through me. I was happy because I was going to see the rest of my adopted family but I knew that one of them would be missing; Jasper. And I wanted him so badly. I missed him and I needed him. I needed his arms around me, holding me and keeping me safe. I needed his love enveloping me. But I knew it wouldn't be there so I started to try and resign myself to my fate. But I couldn't. Not now, and not ever.

Esme was the first to hug me when I entered the house. Alice must have called them. And Rosalie followed. I knew they would be crying if they could, but they couldn't so they weren't. Emmett was next in line. He looked at me with sad puppy dog eyes and I couldn't help but to hold him close to me and cry on his shoulder. He stroked my hair and kissed me on top of my head and then he told me that he wouldn't let anything happen to me ever. Alice grabbed my hand and we went up to Carlisle's office.

"Bella," he told me, "How are you feeling?"  
"Horrible," I told him, "But I'm happy that I have seen all of you. I thought you wouldn't want me anymore because of Jasper. He took my necklace and automatically kicked me out of your family.

"You will always be a part of our family Bella, no matter what."

"Thank you Carlisle."

"So," he said, "Will you tell me exactly what you felt?"

"Well," I replied, "it was the usual symptoms of pregnancy; morning sickness and all of that stuff…so I went to a doctor and he made me try out pregnancy tests and they were positive."

"I see," he told me, "Well I phoned up some old vampire friends and apparently there have been rare cases like you; very rare though. There's no saying of how things will go. You have to eat healthily and relax. Especially after we remove the…child…"

"What? No! We can't do that," I told him, "I can't remove the only thing Jasper and I still have together. No. I love him. And I love this thing inside of me."

"Bella," he told me, "It could easily kill you. All past cases resulted in the mother's death. We can't let that happen to you."

"I don't care," I replied, "I would rather _die_ than kill Jasper's child. No."

"Oh Bella," he told me, "You are so stubborn. What will it take to get you to agree?"

"Nothing will get me to agree," I replied.

"Very well," he told me, "Then we will try to find out ways to prevent both losses. How does that sound?"

"Much better," I replied.

That evening, I stayed in the living room and had a chat with Rosalie. She said she would do anything to be in my position and I told her that once the baby was born, if I died, she could raise him or her for me and if I didn't, she could help me. She was overjoyed. I had found a true sister in Rosalie and I loved her deeply. She said she loved Jasper with all of her heart but that she was mad at him for not giving me a chance to explain things to him. I told her I still loved him with all of my heart too and that I would never stop.

There was not much explaining to do. Everybody believed me when I said I had never been with anyone else. But now there was someone I needed to call, and that call was not going to be very pretty…

Jacob…

**Jasper's POV**

I hugged my knees close to myself. I was starving. Hiding in alleyways all night long and all morning was not proving to be good for me. There were no animals to feed on; all the cats were ill and with tainted blood. And I couldn't go back to feeding on people. I knew Alice was searching for me; I just knew it, and I was doing my best to avoid her visions. I was constantly moving around like a nomad; a very hungry nomad. My next stop would have to be somewhere where there were a lot of animals. Perhaps I should go to Canada next.

But my hunger wasn't the most unbearable thing of all. It was the pain…it felt like I had taken what was left of my dead heart and my missing soul and ripped them out and left them back at our apartment near Dartmouth. I had left them with _her_. I wondered how Jacob had taken it. I was sure he would be taking care of her; Jacob was a great guy and a great friend to her. And I knew he was deeply in love with her even though he had never told her. Well I hoped they were happy, even though I wasn't.

I needed to hold her just once more, to feel her lips against mine and to touch that beautiful brown hair of hers. I needed her. I would have helped her with the child; I really would have, but it wasn't my place to do that. It would have been selfish of me.

But I wished I had been selfish. I wanted to go back to her.

But no, I had to stay here and suffer because she deserved to be happy with him. I remembered her heartbreak when I left – the way she was broken and sad. But I knew that once she saw the reality of her situation, she would be grateful that I had left her gracefully to go to her real lover.

I just wished that her real lover was me. I sobbed silently while invisible and non-existent tears subconsciously rolled down my stone hard cheeks.

**Bella's POV **

Every night I dreamt of Jasper and every night I woke up crying and screaming. Every night I saw him leave me over and over again. It was like a tape that was being replayed in my head mercilessly. I hadn't called Jacob. Neither him nor my father knew I was here. I was staying hidden inside the Cullen home. Three weeks had passed since I had found out, which made me about six weeks pregnant. I was still not showing. Carlisle took this as a sign that it was going to be a normal human pregnancy. I wondered if the child would look like Jasper; I hoped so, because he was so beautiful while I was just a common freak.

So that morning I woke up and decided that I had to call Jacob. I dialed the familiar number which I hadn't dialed in ages. He finally answered. His voice was rough and deep which meant that he had been sleeping.

"Jake?" I asked softly.

"Bells, is that you?" he asked. There was so much joy in his voice. I didn't want to ruin it, but I had to tell him; I owed him that much.

"Yeah," I replied.

"How are you Bells? How's Jasper?"

"I don't know Jake. I don't know how he is…"

"What do you mean; did you guys break up or something?" he said. There was so much concern in his voice, I almost started to cry.

"Yes Jake," I replied.

"Why?" he asked.

"Jake…I'm pregnant."

_**A.N. Ok, hope you liked that :) Wanted to leave you with a Cliffy. Hope you liked the little bit of sneak peak into Jasper's situation and hope you understand that he's in as much pain as Bella is even though he self-imposed it without knowing. So read and review, and next chapter will be uploaded so much faster :) **_


	17. Chapter 17 : Jacob Black

_**A.N.: Sorry for the long wait but I've had a lot on my mind lately. Thank you for the wonderful reviews :) And the baby is not going to be like Renesmee. It's something I made up myself :)**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight saga (except Jasper)…**_

_**Stephanie Meyer: *cough***_

_**CompleteFictionFanatic: Fine, not even Jasper… :/**_

**Chapter 17 : Jacob Black **

**Bella's POV**

His breathing became shallower and I could easily hear the tremor in his voice.

"You're what?" he suddenly exploded, "How can you be pregnant? They're dead…sterile!"

"I know," I replied, "Which is why Jasper thought that I had cheated on him…with you…"

"How could you get pregnant Bella? You're 18!"

"I know," I replied, "It's not like I wanted it to happen."

"You're reckless; you should have been more careful."

I broke down at that moment and couldn't stop crying.

"I'm sorry I made you cry," he said as he calmed down, "I should be ashamed. I should be supporting you not shouting at you. Have you told Charlie?"

"Not yet," I replied, "And I don't plan on telling him either."

"What do you mean?" he asked, "he's your dad. You have to tell him. What will you do when he asks you to visit him on Christmas?"

"I don't know; I'm so confused!"

"Why don't you just come here so that we can talk properly?" he asked.

"I can't. I have a Cullen inside me; I can't cross the line. We can meet halfway. At that clearing where you destroyed Victoria and the newborns. Do you remember?"

"Yeah," he told me, "I'll be there in a few." We hung up and I went to my room which used to be Alice and Jasper's. I picked out a loose blue skirt which went down to my knees, a comfortable loose blue shirt and a white jacket. My belly was slowly expanding. I had been pregnant for seven weeks already by now. It appeared to be quite a normal pregnancy. I had the usual symptoms; morning sickness, cravings (mostly for chocolate), and my breasts were growing as well as my belly. I brushed my hair and went downstairs.

"Esme, I'm going out to meet Jake ok? I'll be back in a few hours," I said to my adoptive almost-mother.

"Ok dear," she said. She handed me a silver phone, "Call us if you need anything."

"Ok, thanks," I replied. I hugged her and walked outside into the woods. It was quite a walk; fifteen minutes, but I took it easy and welcomed the fresh air. As soon as I arrived, I saw the figure of my best friend anxiously waiting. He was sitting down on a log, tapping his feet anxiously and running a hand through his hair. The moment I walked into the clearing, he stood up and rushed over to my side. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me softly.

"I won't hug too hard, don't worry. I don't want to hurt you," he said. Tears were streaming down my cheeks. Every time I remembered, I started to cry. He stroked my hair and held me close until I calmed down.

"Ok," he told me, "Now…what happened exactly with Jasper?"

"Well, you know we…"

"Not _that _part Bella! I meant after it happened…"

"Oh," I replied. I could feel the skin on my face and neck turning crimson with embarrassment.

"I," I continued, "I thought I was sick. He was out hunting. So I went to a doctor but he had me try out two pregnancy tests and they both came out positive. At first I couldn't believe it, but apparently male vampires still have the ability to conceive a child with a human. Just not the female vampires. When Jasper came home, he knew none of this. He thought I had cheated on him with you and he left me like that. I feel so lost without him. Edward came to take care of me, only as a friend; he's seeing Alice now. And Carlisle is monitoring my condition."

"Has this ever happened before?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"This type of…mating I guess. Has it ever happened before? Does the doctor know anything about it?"

"He called up some friends and carried out some research. It appears that it has occurred but the human mother always died."

"We can't let that happen!" he shouted, "No way!"

"Stop," I replied, "Don't say anymore. He's been trying to convince me to remove the child but I won't; even if they force me to. I will kill myself if they take it away from me, I swear. So instead, he's doing his best to find a way of keeping me alive."

"Bella," Jacob whispered, "The truth is I didn't want to shout so I'm sorry. I just can't bear the thought of losing you. I can't bear the thought of imagining you dead. I just can't. You're my best friend; I can't lose you like I lost my mother."

"You won't lose me, and even if you did…you have to be prepared. As long as you're phasing, you won't age and I will continue becoming older until I finally die."

"I can stop phasing any time I want," he told me.

"No you can't. You're supposed to be alpha and are currently beta. You're one of the best they have. I can't have you stop phasing. I'm going to die someday anyway."

"Bella," he told me, "I would stop phasing for you. You know that."

"I don't want you to," I replied, "I mean, what if I die after giving birth? You would have stopped phasing for nothing."

"You won't die," he told me, "Look…as long as you stay at least partially alive…as long as you exist…they can change you and the pack will have no problem with it."

"Isn't that really up to Sam though?" I asked.

"If he doesn't back off, I will take my position as alpha and they will have to listen," he told me.

"And why should I want to be changed? Since Jasper doesn't want anything to do with me any longer, I can't bear to live forever."

"_Bella!_ How could you say that? I'm your best friend and the Cullens seem to love you…"

"Since when are you on their side?" I asked.

"I'm not! But I don't want you to die, regardless of what it may cost me."

"Oh Jake!" I wrapped my arms around him again. We talked for a while about the situation and then he tried to take my mind off of things and told me that Seth and Leah Clearwater had broken into a fever and would be expected to start phasing pretty soon. He said it was the first time that a girl was going to phase and that it was going to be hard to read her mind for Sam because he knew she still despised Emily and loved and hated him at the same time. I really felt for her. All she had wanted was to be with the person she loved, but he had dumped her because of imprinting.

"When are _you_ going to imprint?" I asked him.

"I don't know," he replied, "I guess the right person hasn't come along yet. I want it and I don't want it at the same time. Cos to have it means to feel love, but to not have it means that I will be free. But I guess I want to find someone to love. Then I'll have to stop phasing for sure though."

"Mmm," I replied, "I don't want you to die while I'm still immortal. Maybe I won't change after all…I have nobody to change for anyway now."

"Don't say that. We'll find him and we'll bring him back so that he can give you a chance to explain. It was very unlike him, what he did."

"I know," I replied, "I know more than you that it was unlike him. But now I'm broken and alone and I don't know whether or not I want to live. I only want to survive because of the baby but apart from that, I don't think I have the motivation to carry on any longer. It's becoming too hard for me to cope Jake. I can't take it anymore."

"Bella," he told me, "Don't do anything stupid."

"I won't," I replied, "Not until I have the baby anyway."

"Even after that," he said, "You will have the baby to live for. Don't you think that it will want its mother? I should know; I was raised without one…"

"Oh Jake!" He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close and then he stroked my hair and comforted me. It was the best he could do and I appreciated it.

"I wish you could come to Emily's; she's been asking about you. But you can't cross the line."

"I miss Emily and the pack too," I told him, "And I kind of feel sorry for Leah."

"She doesn't like you very much," he told me, "She thinks you used me when Edward wasn't here but then ran back to him. She also said you're too different to be liked."

"I never used you Jake!"

"I know that," he told me, "I know. You've always kept seeing me even after Edward wouldn't let you. I know you never used me. And I know you never will. And I like you _because_ you are different not in spite of it."

I hugged him as hard as I could without crushing my belly against him.

"You are the world's best friend," I told him.

"I know," he replied, "And I feel smug about it." I punched him lightly on the arm and hurt my fingers in the process but no damage was done.

Esme's cell phone started ringing. I answered.

"Bella dear where are you?" Esme's worried voice breathed into the phone.

"I'm just with Jake," I replied.

"Oh, thank goodness," she told me, "Cos it's been a while and we were getting worried. Make sure he brings you home. It will soon get dark and I don't want you to walk home by yourself."

"Ok Esme," I replied, "I'll make sure he walks me home."

"Thank him for us," she told me.

"I will," I replied. I hung up.

"They trust me," he told me.

"Yeah," I replied, "I mean…why should they not trust you? You've never harmed me or done anything wrong to me or with me. Only Edward was aggressive towards you because he thought you were going to take me away from him. And then Jasper…I think the thought broke his heart. He had grown to love you so much. It felt like a double betrayal to him. I know what led him to believe it though. I mean, he's supposed to be infertile and I'm pregnant. You're the only guy I was alone with. He would have smelt any other guys on me. It was the only reasonable conclusion. He probably didn't want to believe it at first."

"I had grown fond of him too," Jacob said, "But he should have given you a chance to explain. I am very mad at him right now for leaving you this way. If it were me, I would have stayed even if you had cheated on me."

"But that can't happen," I told him, "Cos we're just friends. And anyway…I'm Jasper's forever. I'll never be with someone else as long as I'm alive or existing."

"Don't say that," he told me, "You might find some other vampire who catches your eye."

"That's unlikely," I replied, "I only like vegetarian vampires and the odds of finding another one that's not a Cullen or a Denali are slim to none. And the only Denali male is married."

"Oh don't worry," he told me, "You will find someone. And if you don't; you'll always have your family, the Cullens, and me, your best friend. Jasper will come back to you one day. I'm sure of it."

"I'm not so sure," I replied, "I have given up any hope of him ever coming back. And it breaks my heart knowing how Carlisle, Esme and the rest of the Cullens miss him. Alice and Edward are pretty mad at him because of how he left. Alice said she tried to call him but he didn't answer and when she tried again, she was told that the number didn't exist. He's also hiding from her visions; making last minute decisions which change all the time so she can never be sure where he is."

"He's pretty cunning," Jacob said, "But I don't want to speak badly of him in front of you. I know it hurts you and that's the last thing I want. Don't you think we should tell Charlie?"

"Not yet," I told him, "I'm not ready yet."

"Ok," he said, "I should really take you home then. They seemed to be getting worried. But we can meet any time you want. I'm not going to school any longer so I can come visit you or we could meet here any time you'd like to."

"You have other stuff to do," I told him as we started walking back, "Like running around with the pack and having a life."

"Life is not worth living if I can't live it by my best friend's side," he told me.

"If people knew how close we were, they would think we're in love," I replied.

"Nah," he told me, "You're like a sister to me and even closer than that. It was like fate had us meet. I mean your dad and my dad are best buddies and then what happened with Edward brought you close to me. And I don't ever want to drift away from you. I love you so much."

"Only as a friend I hope," I replied, "I don't want to break any more hearts than I've already broken."

"Of course," he replied, "Only as my closest friend in the world; the one person I know I can trust with anything."

"I love you too," I replied, "And you have no idea of how I appreciate all of this time and energy you are wasting on me."

"I'm not wasting anything," he told me, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

We soon arrived in front of the Cullen home. He hugged me and kissed me on top of my head and as I walked in through the front door, he sprinted back into the woods towards the Quileute Reservation.

**Jasper's POV**

Every night I wait for something to come and break me to pieces and then set me aflame. I cannot live, think or survive like this any longer. Every thought of mine is consumed with my love and obsession for her; for my beautiful Bella. Why did you do that to me Bella? Why? I loved you and still do with all I have, all I had…

Now I'm lost. And I wait for the death that will never come. I feed on stray animals in the hot Mexican sun as I travel constantly to avoid Alice's visions. I can't risk being too thirsty and killing someone. That wouldn't make _her_ feel proud of me at all.

I wondered how she was doing with Jacob. I hoped he was keeping her happy. Oh well; of that I had no doubt. He always had a way of making her smile when nobody else could.

Had I not despised the Volturi with such a passion, I would have gone and asked them to kill me; but I couldn't sink down to their level and had decided to suffer in silence instead.

So I wait for the death that will never come, as I trudge through the Southern sun with a broken heart, a shattered soul, and sad broken eyes.

_Bella…I love you._

_**A.N.: Ok I hope you enjoyed that :) I hope it was worth the wait anyway! This is one of my favourite chapters so far. In it we see the possibility of Bella being made a bit happier thanks to Jacob again and we see the love Jasper still feels for his one and only. :) Review…please? ^^**_


	18. Chapter 18 : Thoughts and Desires

_**A.N. : Ok this is the last chapter before the climax. Next chapter will be a bomb. This one is a kind of filler. But I Hope you'll like it. It's a bit of an intrusion into Bella's deepest thoughts. Hope you like it :) **_

_**Disclaimer: Do I really have to say it? =[ *sigh* fine. I do not own the Twilight saga…or Jasper…or Carlisle; fine I said it! **_

**Chapter 18 : Thoughts and Desires **

**Bella's POV**

Jacob, Edward and Alice were great. Rosalie was awesome. Emmett was constantly trying to lift up my mood. Esme and Carlisle were treating me as one of their own. But nothing and nobody could erase my nightmares and my memories. Nothing and nobody could mend my heart. My heartbreak was unbearable. Jasper was lucky he was not around me; otherwise he would have felt this all and it would have broken him; feeling all of this pain piled upon his own pain which I had brought about selfishly by not being clear enough.

Everybody blamed Jasper for not giving me a chance. But I should have been clearer; I should have stopped him from talking and just told him everything right from the start. But instead I had kept my mouth clamped tightly shut and I had felt myself sinking into a deep hole of sadness and despair as the gaping hole in my chest , which Edward had dug up when he had left me, came back with a thousand times its original force. I had looked at him with pleading eyes and a shamed face. All I was giving off were messages of infidelity. No wonder he had mistrusted me. No wonder he had been hurt. I had broken him. I had been a selfish bitch and I deserved all of this pain.

Had I not been pregnant with Jasper's child and my own, I would have already killed myself. I felt like I didn't deserve to live after all the pain I had put him through. I could feel the desire to kill myself choking me. It was a pain that rushed through my chest like adrenaline. It hit me like thunder and almost felt like fear. It was pure agony. Every time I had the urge to kill myself, I could feel the colour being drained from my face, I could feel myself shaking; I could feel the pain of it all – the pain of the awareness that I feel like a piece of garbage; a piece of garbage that did not deserve to live. I felt that the sole reason of my existence was to give birth to his child; to give him life. I had recently found out that I was having a baby boy and I was ecstatic; well, as ecstatic as I could get in this state. Carlisle realized it was a boy and he was overjoyed. Esme and himself are looking forward to becoming grandparents. Rosalie was a bit distant at first and I didn't blame her; this was after all her dream not mine and I was living it for her. Eventually, she came around and started to spend countless hours with me. She even planned shopping trips to get baby items and I decided to let her pick most of the things. I loved seeing her smile. Nothing could bring me joy except for Jasper and the image of his child so I decided I couldn't deny her the joy of picking stuff for the baby. I hoped the baby would look a lot like him. I wanted him to remind me of Jasper. I knew it would hurt me to even look into the child's face, but it was worth it. I was broken already so I might as well end up being even more; it couldn't really get any worse now, could it?

Every night I had the same horrible dream. Every night I dreamt of a memory; the day that Jasper left and the night that followed. Even the dream of me being changed kept repeating itself, and every time I woke up to realize I was still human and alone and I would start to cry. Edward and Alice often lay down next to me, holding me in my sleep. But nothing could keep the horrible nightmares away. Jacob had made me another dream catcher but it was to no avail. I appreciated it of course, but it wouldn't work.

Every day, Jake spent a few hours with me. He never skipped meeting me once. He was being awesome and I wished I could repay him for all of this but I knew that I couldn't; I wasn't able to, because there was nothing I could do to make him happy. The only thing that would be good enough was to have me happy again but that was not going to happen any time soon. I knew it broke Jake's heart to see me like this; always talking about killing myself had there not been the baby, and always talking about what a piece of garbage I am and always will be, always talking about how worthless I have become. But I couldn't help it; I honestly believed those things.

His hugs warmed me up and made me feel welcome, but the moment he left my side I would start feeling alone again. I couldn't tell him this because if I did then he would abandon everything else just so that he could be with me and I couldn't possibly be that selfish; he had other duties to carry out and important people to protect. I was just the piece of trash that was his best friend; I was not important, even though he seemed to think I was. Edward and Alice also spent most of the day with me. They had both dropped out of their college course so that they could be with me. I had felt so ashamed and selfish when they told me but they insisted that they were only repeating stuff and that they had forever to repeat it all again. Esme often cooked me my favourite foods and tended to my unbearable cravings. I often craved chocolate and especially chocolate pancakes.

I wanted this to be over and done with. I only had three months of pregnancy left. I showed well now. My tummy was bloated enough to tell that I was officially six months pregnant but the rest of my body had remained fairly thin. Esme had said that this was a tell-tale sign that I would be having a baby boy and she was right; Carlisle had proved it on the previous week's ultrasound. I had still never called Charlie to tell him. I had cut all contact with my family; I felt it was for the best since I knew I would probably kill myself not long after making sure the baby was ok and with the Cullens to protect him.

My mind was going crazy. Every month, I wrote letters to Jasper telling him of the baby's progress; letters I would never send. I would write more than just one page; they would be seven pages long – I often told him how much I loved him and that things would have been clearer if he had given me a chance to explain. I also attached ultrasound pictures to the papers so that he would be able to see them. But I didn't know where he was so I couldn't send the letters. And even if I had known, I wouldn't have had enough courage to really send them – I would have held back and kept them locked up inside a drawer. I wanted to talk to him so desperately ; I wanted to tell him that I loved him more than I had ever loved him before and that I couldn't possibly live without him; that only our child was holding me back. I wanted to tell him everything; to pour my heart out to him, but I knew I couldn't and it would have to do for now.

The time to write another letter had come, so I sat down at my desk and got out my favourite pen; the pen I always used to write him letters.

And I started: _Dear Jasper, _

**Jasper's POV**

I feel like a man without a purpose; a child without a smile; a body without a soul. I feel like my heart has been ripped out from its position in my chest. I feel like I have left most of me back with Bella. I feel like only parts and pieces of me are left scattering about. I am a nothing and I always will be. I want to die so desperately but I can't. I can't die before I make sure that she's happy; I am however not ready to see her again yet; seeing her would bring back all of those horrible feelings of betrayal and infidelity. Seeing her would break my little broken heart all over again into tinier pieces if that is even possible. Seeing her would officially shatter what is left of my soul. I would risk it for her; but not just now. I love her too much to disturb her and probably cause her to lose her child. I love her too much to break her up with Jacob. I need to give her time so that she can settle down before I check on her again. Perhaps I won't even talk to her; I'll just view from the outside and run back here again; back to the middle of nowhere; back to my hometown in Houston.

I have settled down here now ; but I only hunt animals. I travel alone. I don't care if they find me any longer. Alice has probably seen me now. But I don't care. Bella is surely over me by now; they won't need me, and they probably won't even want me back. I clutch her necklace close to me and I kiss it. Invisible tears roll down my cheeks, but I can't feel them, smell them or taste them because they are not really there. It's all in my head. I can't cry but my mind is weeping. My head is screaming inside. I am in a rage. All I want is to kill everything and everyone that gets in my way, but I have to keep my cool and control myself. Living on the blood of animals has never been so easy; I couldn't care less about my nutrition now that I have so much on my mind.

I truly hope that she's ok. Every night before I lay down in my bed and pretend to sleep, I think of her and then I close my eyes and pretend to dream of her beauty. But it's all a charade; I can't sleep and I can't dream. But I want to; I want to see her with me again – pure and innocent and beautiful as always. She's pregnant with his child and probably glowing right now; even more beautiful than before. I'm sure Jacob is capable of keeping her happy. But why did he have to do that to me? Why did _she_ have to do that to me…to us? We were great together; everything was perfect…what did he have that was better than me? Was it his tanned skin? Was it his ability to eat human food? Was it his more human nature and his normal needs like sleeping and eating and using the bathroom? Was it his hatred of blood? Was it the fact that they were so much more alike?

Well, whatever it was, he has won her heart from me fair and square. Perhaps I never deserved her after all. Perhaps all I deserved was to be cold and hard and alone. Perhaps all I deserved was to be stuck in the corner of this room, where there is no sunlight and no rain; where there are no emotions but my heartbreak and despair, my sadness and my loneliness, my hatred towards myself. I wish I could starve myself to death or bleed myself to death. I wish I could strangle myself or jump off a twelve-storey building and crash to the ground. I wish I could drown myself. But there is only one way to die, and I'm not going to _them_. Besides, I have to check on her first; I couldn't possibly die without knowing she was truly fine and well. I couldn't do that to her; I love her too much.

The time has come for me to close my eyes and pretend to sleep and dream of her again. So here goes…

_Oh Bella…_

**Bella's POV**

When I woke up my letter was gone from my desk, and a note was there to replace it.

_Bella, trust me. Edward xx _

Mmm..I don't get it.

**Edward's POV**

He gave it up and Alice finally saw him, in his room, pretending to be asleep. She saw his location, his whereabouts. And I couldn't wait one more second.

Now I run at vampire speed towards my destination; Houston, Texas.

**Jasper's POV**

I felt a breeze. I could have sworn that a familiar scent hit my nose; _Edward._ But when I opened my eyes from my pretend-sleep, there was nothing and nobody, just an envelope with a familiar handwriting and a familiar scent.

_Bella…_

_**A.N: Ok, so next chapter is going to be exciting. I hope you liked this one. It was not a very long chapter, but it was a pretty important filler. It kind of gave further details of how Jasper and Bella were feeling. **_

_**Hope you liked the short part with Edward's POV. **_

_**Read and Review xxx**_

_**Peace out peeps.**_


	19. Chapter 19 : Letters

_**A.N.: Ok, it seems you guys loved the chapter. I think all of you will love this one more. This is the second climax of the story. .com/watch?v=wgKv4Bd158s that is the trailer :)I made it myself. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I only own the little boy inside of Bella. **_

**Chapter 19 : Letters **

**Edward's POV **

I ran faster than I had ever run before. The moment Alice saw him, she came to me and showed me what she had seen. I knew that Bella had just written him another letter and I decided to just go ahead and do it. I wouldn't talk to him of course; I would just leave the evidence at his place and wait for him to find it. But I wouldn't go home just yet. I would have to stay to make sure that Jasper left for Forks, back to Bella. If he didn't, I would drag him there if I had to. He had to listen to the truth to go back to her. She was more broken than she had ever been before and it hurt me to know that she loved him more than she had ever loved me but it also showed me that I should do this for her. Because although I loved Alice, deep down I still felt for Bella. He smelt me the moment I entered the room and I sped off like a bolt of lightning.

**Jasper's POV**

My dead heart skipped a beat. I tore open the envelope as slowly as I could and I pulled out the letter. It was pretty long. Her handwriting brought back so many memories of college, and her scent was intoxicating. I held the paper close to my heart before I started to read.

_Dear Jasper, _

_I'm officially going crazy. I keep writing you letters every month; letters which you will never get or even care about enough to read. I miss your presence in my life and during this moment I need you here more than ever. This is going to be my last letter to nobody. Then I am giving up and am hoping to die during childbirth._

_When you left me, the hole in my chest came back and it came wider than ever before. It was worse than when Edward left me. I lay down on the floor and waited for death to come for me. I couldn't believe you would mistrust me like that. I couldn't believe you didn't know me at all… You should have known I would always be faithful to you. I never cheated on you with anybody. _

_I keep telling you this in every letter I write but I will never stop repeating it. You could have given me a chance. Everybody blames you, but not me. It was my fault; I wasn't clear enough from the beginning. I am now six months pregnant and your child…our child is the only reason I have not killed myself yet. I don't want to live if it is without you. Jacob keeps on telling me that you will come back for me and that the baby needs me. But I don't believe you will ever be back. You left me and stopped loving me the moment you thought I had betrayed you._

_But I would never betray you. You will always be my soul mate Jasper; always and forever- even if I die. I don't even want to change anymore because I feel I have no reason to. The child will be safe with your family. I'm sure Rosalie will be a very good adoptive mother to him._

_Oh yes, it's a boy. I'm going to call him Jeremy Jasper Whitlock Hale. It's for your father and for you. I know you loved your father very much Jasper. I hope the baby looks a lot like you. I can't imagine him not looking like you. You are so beautiful and it will break my heart every time I look at him but it doesn't matter; I don't think my heart can break any further than it has already been broken. _

_How does it feel without me? Do you feel free? Do you feel happy? Perhaps rejuvenated? I feel broken, sad and alone. I want death to come and take me away. I cry helplessly and I dream of the day you left me. I dream of you changing me and then I wake up to find myself in my pathetic human form. You're gone Jasper and I can't deal without you. I can't live properly. I'll never function well enough again. This is worse than when Edward left me._

_My father doesn't know I'm pregnant yet. I have cut all contact with my parents, knowing that I will probably die while giving birth. Cos apparently, Carlisle made some research and he found out that male vampires have the ability to fertilize human females. But the human mother always died during childbirth because the baby was too strong for her to cope with it all. I guess I'll be doing the world a favour; giving it a mini-Jasper and ridding it of my burden, because that is what I am. I am a burden to your family. Alice and Edward dropped out from college to take care of me. They are seeing each other now. Rosalie is being great with me and Emmett is being very sweet. Carlisle and Esme are the best almost-parents ever. But your absence is so prominent. Nothing can fill the emptiness; not even Jacob's friendship._

_He was pretty mad at you for leaving me. But he has full faith that you will come back to me. He says you loved me too much. But I don't believe him. You will never come back to this worthless piece of trash._

_In three months, we will have a son together and I will probably die. This is my last letter. I love you Jasper, and I always will…forever. _

_Take care of yourself – you're too important._

_I love you,_

_Yours truly,_

_Your Bella_

_XxX_

My heart broke at her words. I was feeling happy and confused at her sudden news that I was actually going to become a father, but it broke me to see what I had done to her. It broke me to realize what a fool I had been and how cruel I had been to not even give her a chance. I hadn't even given her a chance to speak, a chance to explain. I had been cruel and selfish enough to not give her that chance.

_I'm sorry_. But sorry was not going to bring back those months away from her. It was not going to bring back her beautiful smile or her joyful laughter. I had broken her and myself in the process due to my stubborn head and my cold heart. I had to go back to her and to show her that I loved her, but I couldn't overexcite her and perhaps cause her to lose the baby.

Then again, I wouldn't let her think of losing her life during childbirth either. I had to go and make things right; I simply had to go.

**Bella's POV**

Edward did not come home at all during the following day. I was left with the note in my hand and my mind to wonder. What had he done with my letter?

"Alice," I said as I knocked on Edward's door.

"Yes Bella? Come in sweetie," she said. I entered the room and shut the door behind me. I gave her Edward's note.

"What is this?" I asked her, "Can you tell me what has happened? I need to know."

"Everything's going to be fine Bella, I promise. Now go back to your room. I can't tell you anymore."

"That's not fair; I need to know."

"You'll know soon enough," she told me. She smiled softly at me and I retreated back to my room, stomping my heavy feet in the process. I wanted to know what he had meant by writing that note. I needed to know. My heart was hammering inside my chest. What had he done with my letter?

**Edward's POV**

I could hear his mind screaming from where I was. He hated himself for what he had done to Bella; for not giving her a chance to explain, and I didn't blame him - I had felt the same way when I had left her there in the woods without an honest explanation. I had hated myself deeply for letting her go into that state on the basis of an assumption. Jasper had repeated my mistake. He had thought he was doing a noble thing; letting her be with whom he thought she wanted, but he was wrong; she wanted nobody except for him. And she loved him so very much. While he was reading the letter, I could hear her every word in his head and it was so deep and so passionate; she loved him like she had never loved before.

I hated it when she said she would gladly die during childbirth.

Wait, there's a shift in Jasper's thoughts.

**Jasper's POV**

I need to see her. I need to go now.

**Edward's POV**

He's coming back to Forks. I shall leave now so that he will not note my presence.

**Bella's POV**

I need Jasper. I need to see him.

**Jasper's POV**

_Bella, if you can hear me…_

**Bella's POV**

_Jasper, if you can hear me…_

**Bella and Jasper's POV**

_I love you…_

_**A.N. I hope you enjoyed reading this. Please read and review :) And watch the trailer. **_


	20. Chapter 20 : Truths and Revelations

_**A.N.:**__** Ok, I got some very positive feedback on my last chapter. This one goes out to Taininess for her wonderful banner and to James and Crista who've been nothing but supportive of me since the very start. **_

**Disclaimer: I only own little Jeremy and nothing else. **

**Chapter 20 : Truths and Revelations**

**Jasper's POV**

I ran faster than my vampire legs could carry me. The speed at which I was running was unbelievable; I could have beaten Edward any day with that kind of speed; I had a goal to reach – a destination – and it couldn't wait one more minute. My Bella was suffering because of my stupidity and I had to go and make things right again. I had to make her see that she was still the queen of my heart and soul; that she had never stopped ruling my heart…that she never would stop.

So I ran with all of the strength in me to get to her…and to our child.

**Bella's POV**

Alice was in an unusually good mood all morning. She kept smiling at me and trying to get me to look all nice and I just couldn't get it. Eventually I gave in and let her play with me. She got me to wear a beautiful white maternity dress which went down to my knees and she also pinned back half of my hair and got me to wear some make-up.

"What is the occasion Alice?" I asked her.

"You'll see soon enough," she replied, beaming. I didn't get it. How could she be happy when she knew I was feeling like this? I felt horrible. Writing Jasper's letter the previous evening had made everything so much more real for me. Reading my own feelings in black and white had made me aware of the gravity of my situation. I was clearly depressed and I was often feeling very suicidal. Only Jeremy was keeping me here. I hoped I would die as soon as he was born; just living long enough to get a glimpse of him. The Cullens would take good care of him, I was sure. They were all already in love with him and I was lucky that Edward couldn't read my thoughts because all of the negative things I thought about me would have overwhelmed him. Alice had been mad at me for a while now since I had been planning to kill myself if I didn't die during childbirth but I was not going to change my mind. I felt like I served no purpose on the face of the Earth but to be a constant burden to those around me.

A silent tear fell down my face as an image of Jasper entered my head; an image of him holding me close and loving me and then changing into him leaving me as I crumpled on the floor of our apartment. Why?

I was lost in my thoughts. Alice had been gone for about half an hour; she had said that she needed to go shopping and I had declined her offer to join her so I had stayed alone in my room which would have been mine and Jasper's had he been here. I loved him so much still. Edward had come back about fifteen minutes earlier and he had locked himself in his room and refused to talk to me. He had told me to stay downstairs but I had been my usual hard-headed self and stayed locked up in my room, sitting down on the bed and thinking of my horrible fate.

**Jasper's POV**

My heart started racing as I saw the façade of my home; the house I had lived in for the previous years – the house where I had first spoken to Bella, and the house where I had tried to attack her, but also the house where we had confessed our love to each other. I could feel some excited emotions coming from the house; probably Edward's since he knew of my arrival or Alice's. But I could also feel an unbearable amount of pain and heartbreak…loss…so similar to my own feelings back when I had thought that Jacob had stolen Bella's heart.

_Bella…_

**Bella's POV**

I heard the front door open and close; Alice must be back I guess. A knock on my door startled me; Alice never knocked.

"Come in Alice," I said softly. The door opened and in front of me stood the mirage of a god…the mirage of my Jasper. I covered my mouth with my hand as tears started streaming down my face. In an instant he was kneeling next to the bed.

"You're not real," I said.

**Jasper's POV**

The sight of her, on that bed, looking at me all broken made my heart race again. I was kneeling next to her in an instant.

"You're not real," she told me. Had I been that cruel when I left her? Had I been so cruel that she had believed I would never again return to her side?

"I am," I said, "I am real." Dry tears were choking my voice as I sobbed. I reached out a shaky hand towards her face and stroked the silky skin of her cheek which was stained with tears. I brushed away her tears and stroked her face like there was no tomorrow. I couldn't believe she was here in front me, looking at me like I was some god when all I had done was broken her.

"Jasper," she breathed out between sobs, "I love you so much."

"I love you too darlin'," I told her.

"Oh my God," she said, "That sweet voice. How I have missed you ever second since you've been gone. I felt lost Jasper. I need you."

**Bella's POV**

"I was lost without your love," he said, "I wanted death to come and take over me. But I couldn't die…not until I was sure that Jacob was making you happy."

"Jacob is my best friend," I told him, "And he loves me as I love him. But there was never anything more between us. There was a time when he wanted there to be something but now things have settled down. He respects you very much but now he's angry for what happened. He was right. He told me you would come back to me."

"I feel so ashamed for doubting the both of you," he said.

"Don't be," I replied, "How were you to know that it was possible? To you, it was the only plausible situation…the only believable one…I don't blame you Jasper. I'm just glad you have come back."

"I never even gave you a chance to explain to me Bella," he told me, "I left you there to break alone. I left you there without thinking twice about what I was going to do."

"I didn't explain myself clearly. I said I was sorry for getting pregnant…you thought it meant I had betrayed you. But I would never betray you Jasper. I was already planning my suicide because it's either you or nothing for me."

"Don't be like that," he told me, "I don't even deserve you now."

"Stop saying that," I replied, "All I want is to have you with me again. Do you want that?"

"Of course. There's nothing I would want more than to be with you until the end of time Bella," he said, "It is all I live for; _you_ are all I live for. Without you there would be no reason to stay anymore. Now that you have entered my life, I can't be without you. And I will never let you go. I will never go away again; I promise."

"I love you," I told him, "More than words can tell. More than any poem or letter could ever explain."

"I'm an empath," he replied, "There is no need to explain. The love you feel for me is reciprocated by my love for you." I felt strong waves of love being projected my way.

I got off the bed and he stood up and then he hugged me close to him and our lips met. It was one of the most passionate kisses I had ever shared with him. The moment our lips collided, love exploded from him and I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. Our lips moved together in a co-ordinated manner. Our tongues battled for sweet dominance. His hand was lost inside my hair and I tangled both of my hands into his honey blonde curls. We were holding on to each other for dear life. As the kiss stopped, his hands moved down my back and around me and soon he was cradling my belly in his hands.

"I can't believe this is our son," he told me, invisible tears choking his voice. I moved my hands to cover his own.

**Jasper's POV**

"Yes," she told me, "This is our son…Jeremy."

"There is no need for his second name anymore," I told her, "Because I am here and I will never leave you again. Maybe we could call him Jeremy Jacob…because he deserves it."

"Yes he does," she replied.

I could feel her love flowing to me. Her love was true and honest. It was unconditional, just like mine. And our love was eternal.

I looked into her beautiful deep brown eyes which were coated with tears of joy and I showed her my love through my own eyes. We stood there looking each other and cradling our son for what seemed to be hours. It was the most beautiful moment of my long life up till now.

**Bella's POV**

"Bella," Jasper told me, "I had been planning on doing this before everything happened…and I have kept this in my pocket ever since; It has never left me – not even for an instant."

"I'm not getting it," I replied.

"I'm asking you, Isabella Swan…to marry me; so that we can be each other's forever," he said as he knelt down on one knee and brought out a ring from his pocket. It was beautiful; a platinum ring with a wonderful heart-shaped diamond on top.

I held out my hand and let him place it on my left ring finger and then he stood up and I looked up at him. He hugged me close but didn't press too hard to avoid hurting the baby.

"I also have something that belongs to you," he told me. He produced my necklace with the Cullen crest from his other pocket and fastened it around my neck.

"I'm sorry I took it," he said, "I needed something; to keep your scent with me everywhere. I couldn't let go of you completely."

"It's ok," I replied, "Now that time has passed."

"How can you be so forgiving?" he asked me, "How can you be so selfless Bella? I left you for six months…and here you are, accepting me fully…even my marriage proposal."

"Of course," I replied, "I know what I want and it's never changed. I've wanted you from the very beginning of our relationship and nothing could change that; I wanted you more than ever when you were gone and I still want you now…as I always will."

"Oh Bella," he said. His arms wrapped around me ever so softly and he kissed me on the cheek and trailed kisses down to my lips.

I looked into his beautiful golden eyes as a stray hair bounced in front of his left eye. His hair complimented his eye colour ever so perfectly. His face was so beautiful; it could have been carved by angels. His smile, so weak and broken was still the most beautiful I had ever seen and the way he held me; the way he touched me – it felt like his hands had been made to brush against my skin and to hold my own hands.

**Jasper's POV**

I looked into her beautiful brown eyes. Oh how sweet they were; how deep and warm and loving. How they matched her wonderful long and straight chocolate brown hair. I took off her hair clip and watched as her hair fell freely and comfortably against the lines of her beautiful face. Everything about her was beautiful. She looked like she had been custom-made to be a vampire – I doubted anything would change in her features ; she was already beautiful enough to be considered one of us. Her broken smile made me long to reach out and touch her and the electricity that zapped through me every time I touched her skin was unbelievable.

"I love you my beauty," I told her.

"I love you too Jasper," she replied.

"Will you let me change you once Jeremy is born?" I asked her.

"Would you Jasper?"

"Of course," I told her, "I want to have you with me for all of eternity. I want you to be immortal – just like me…"

"I wonder what our son will be like," she said.

"Beautiful, if he looks like his mother at all."

**Bella's POV**

"Beautiful if he looks like his mother at all," he told me. I made a face at that. I didn't want him to look like me. I wanted him to look like his beautiful father.

"I was kind of hoping he would look like you," I replied.

"Well, maybe he will look like the both of us so that both of us can be content to see the other one in him."

"How did you come here anyway? I mean why?" I asked him.

"I was pretending to sleep; I often did that – closing my eyes so that I could see your beautiful face in my mind and nothing else. Suddenly, I smelled Edward but he was gone and instead there was your letter on my desk. I read it and with every word, I could feel my pain being reflected by your own. I felt like a pig for hurting you and mistrusting you. And I needed to come back to you Bella. I needed to clarify things and to let you know that I love you. And don't you ever say you're rubbish again. You are special Bella; way more special than any of those other common girls in the world. You are beautiful and kind. Your soul is the most beautiful I have ever seen as is your face and your body. I love you with all of my heart and don't you even dare say that you are rubbish ever again."

"But that's what I felt like," I replied, "It's exactly what I felt like I was. I felt like nothing but unwanted trash."

"But you aren't that" he told me, "You are amazing and perfect."

"I love you Jasper," I replied, "And don't you ever leave me."

"I'm right here darling," he told me, "And right here is where I'm gonna stay."

_**A.N. ok I hope you liked their reunion. Although the chapter ends with the title of the fanfic, it does not mean that it is the last chapter. There is still more to come. Please review as you have been doing for the past chapters. Reviews make me feel warm inside and make me want to write more. I often feel like I'm not a good enough writer so any review makes me feel better about myself and my fanfic. Thank you for all of the positive feedback you have been giving me; I appreciate it all.**_


	21. Chapter 21 : 10,9,8,7

_**A.N. Sorry if I made you wait a bit longer than usual but I've had a lot of stuff to deal with lately. However, I hope that this chapter does not disappoint. **_

**Disclaimer: I only own little Jeremy Jacob and the plot; nothing else.**

**Chapter 21: 10, 9, 8,7…**

**Bella's POV**

Only ten days were left until our little Jeremy would be born. Jasper was being such a sweetheart. He was constantly taking care of me and he handled me as if I were a butterfly about to crack in his arms. We were now sharing my room and every night, Jasper would sing me to sleep, cradling my belly. I loved him even more than I had loved him before he had left and I knew that he felt the same way. Everything was perfect. We had told our family about our engagement.

_Flashback:_

"_Jasper!" Esme said as she ran up to her son and threw her arms around him.  
"Hey mum," he said, "I missed you."  
"I missed you too dear," she told him.  
"Jasper's home," I heard Carlisle's voice booming from upstairs. In an instant he was standing next to Jasper and he too wrapped his arms around the blonde major standing in front of him. I had never noticed how tall Jasper really was; he was actually taller than Carlisle. Rosalie was the next one in sequence and she threw herself into her brother's arms. She had missed Jasper terribly. Emmett hi-fived Jasper and Alice wrapped her arms around his waist. Edward patted Jasper on the back. _

"_I'm sorry I left," he told them, "I'm terribly sorry."  
"Don't worry Jasper," Esme said, "But you shouldn't have left Bella without a chance to explain."  
"I know," he said, "I've been regretting it every day of my existence. I missed her and I missed my family as well. I missed you guys."  
"We missed you too," Alice said, "But you were too cunning for my visions. Had you not been so sneaky, we would have had a chance to explain the situation earlier." _

"_Anyway," Jasper said, "Bella and I have some news."  
"I already know," Alice said as she squealed with excitement.  
"I know too," Edward replied.  
"This isn't fair," Rosalie huffed, "You guys know everything before the rest of the family. You and your dirty little secrets…"  
"Calm down Rose," Emmett said as he smoothened down her blonde curls.  
"Bella and I are engaged," Jasper said.  
I emerged from behind him where I had stayed during the whole encounter so as to give them some space as a family. The moment I emerged from my hiding place, Esme crashed into me with her arms around my neck. Suddenly I was in the middle of a huge Cullen hug. _

_End Flashback_

**Jasper's POV**

Nine days left until the due date. Every night I sang her to sleep and watched her beautiful face throughout the night. She looked peaceful and I received waves of calm and serenity. She had forgiven me for everything and I knew I didn't deserve it but she was that good to me, and to everyone else. Jacob was speaking to me again now, for her sake. I had met up with him the day after I had arrived to explain the situation.

_Flashback_

"_Jacob, can you meet me up in the woods, at the clearing where we took out Victoria in about five minutes?"  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
"Jasper," I replied.  
"Oh…_you_!"  
"Please Jacob," I said, "For Bella."  
"Sure, why not?" _

_I ran to the clearing and waited for him to come. He was there in less than five minutes' time. I had missed these woods and their smell.  
"Jacob," I said, "I'm so sorry. To me it was the only possible situation."  
"How could you do that to her?"  
"You have no idea of how broken my heart has been."  
"You didn't see her crumbling away into nothingness."  
"I was crumbling away too," I told him.  
"And I thought we were friends. How could you suspect me like that?"  
"I would have smelled another guy on her at any moment, and I thought I was infertile."  
"Well," Jacob said, "You should have given her a chance or at least called me to curse at me and then I would have explained to you the whole situation."  
"I couldn't do that. I loved you and still do. The only reason why I left was because I thought you were the father and realized that the child and Bella deserved to be with you and that I should be out of the picture. I thought I wasn't wanted."  
"Wait," Jacob said, "So you sacrificed your relationship with Bella so that she could be with me?"  
"I thought it was what she wanted. I should have given her a chance to explain, but my heart was too broken. I know it's no excuse, but still. I hope things can be better between us. I don't want this to end up like an Edward-Bella-Jacob situation; always tense and unpredictable. I can't do that to her or to you."  
"Don't worry Jasper," he replied, "I won't let it go that far. We'll try to be friends again." _

_I hugged him in a way that was as manly as possible and we strolled around the woods until we arrived at the treaty line and he said goodbye._

_End Flashback _

_**Bella's POV**_

Eight more days. I was becoming anxious. I was afraid of what would happen. Now that I had Jasper here with me, I didn't want to die during childbirth. I was afraid of losing what we now had. I wanted to see our child grow up. I wanted to be with him and with his father and the rest of our family. I couldn't die during childbirth; I would have to fight death until the end.

"I have an idea," Jasper said as I woke up that morning  
"Tell me," I replied.  
"I'll change you as soon as you give birth. That way, we won't have to worry about you dying because of it. And you'll be one of us."  
"That's a brilliant idea Jasper," I replied, "How did you come up with it?"  
"Well," he said, "I have a lot of spare time while you are asleep and I'm watching your beautiful face."  
I blushed.  
"There's no need for you to blush. You will soon be Mrs. Whitlock and you are going to be a very beautiful bride."  
"When will we get married?" I asked.  
"Soon after Jeremy's born."  
"When I've regained my shape then."  
He started to laugh softly.

"What?" I asked.

"You'll regain your shape immediately if I'm changing you," he told me.

"Oh right," I replied.

**Jasper's POV**

Seven days. Seven more days until I officially became a father and until Bella and I became parents together. Seven more days until the dreaded moment of Bella's pain during childbirth and her excruciating sufferance during her change. Seven more days until all I had read in parenting books during the last few months came into practice. Seven more days until I depended on Carlisle's help in order to ensure that my love and my baby would remain alive. Seven more days. And I was scared shitless.

**Bella's POV**

Six days left as a regular human. Six days left as a common-looking being. Six days left with brown eyes. Six days left with soft and warm skin. Six days left with blood pumping thorough my veins. Six days left with the need to eat, the need to sleep, the need to use the bathroom, the need to breathe. Six days left with the pace of a snail and the strength of a weakling. Six days left without superhuman senses. Six days left with the scent of freesias and strawberries. Six days left until I became a mother. Six days left until I became a vampire…six days with a beating heart.

**Jasper's POV**

In five days, Bella and I would become parents together. I was more afraid of changing her than of the actual birth. I was afraid that I might get bloodlust after tasting that delicious blood that was running through her precious veins. I loved Bella more than anything and I couldn't let my own clumsiness make me lose the one person I was living for. I wished someone would change her instead but she had insisted.

"Please Bella," I told her, "Let Carlisle change you."

"No," she replied, "I want your bite to be the last human memory Jazz…"

"Bella darlin'," I told her, "Please. I don't know if I can control myself. You know I've got issues."

"Jasper," she replied, "Please. There is nothing I want more. Please?"

She looked at me with her beautiful big brown eyes, trying to get me to tell her yes. I looked into that deep chocolate brown. How beautiful she was. I honestly didn't believe that there would be any change to her features once she became one of us. She was already perfect. I looked deep into that beautiful pool of chocolate and I caved.

"Of course sweet pea," I told her. And with that her eyes lit up.

**Bella's POV**

Four days left. My back was aching me like hell; this was going to be one big and strong baby. I wondered what he would look like. I hoped he would look like his father; Jasper was beautiful and had been beautiful even when he was still human, while I was as common as could be. Jasper insisted that he hoped the baby looked a lot like me because I was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes on but I knew he was probably trying to flatter me. In this house, I could never feel beautiful with seven perfect vampires roaming around all day long. Well, I would at least soon be one of them. I wondered what I would look like. My mind drifted back to my parents. I wondered if they missed me. I wondered what Charlie thought of when he lay his head down to sleep. A silent tear ran down my cheek. I missed my father much more than I had thought I would. I also missed my mother but I had grown used to her physical absence over the past two years. I still missed her voice. I read all the emails she often sent but I never replied even though I wished I could. I knew it would be better this way. At least nobody would have to lie to hide my new state of being when I changed into a vampire.

**Jasper's POV**

All day and all night, I wouldn't budge from Bella's side. She was due in three days. I had three days to prepare for two big things; becoming a father and changing the love of my life without killing her. My heart was leaping with joy at the thought of all three of us becoming a family and at the thought of Bella becoming a vampire just as she had always wished to be. But I was afraid; I was afraid of changing her, I was afraid of something going wrong during the birth of our son whom I also loved unconditionally and I was mostly afraid of being too late to change Bella before she died. And the fear was eating me up inside.

**Bella's POV**

Two days.

"He has to be here," I told Jasper.

"I'm sure that Carlisle would find no objection," he replied, "You should call him."

"We have to tell them first," I said, "But no matter what he has to be here."

"I know," Jasper told me, "I've already told you. He's your best friend and you need him. So yes, we should ask him to come. But don't you think it would be painful for him to see you going through excruciating pain and to watch me changing you into the thing he loathes the most?"

"Jazz," I replied, "I need him."

"I know you need him," he said, "Let's just call him ok? I'm picking up waves of approval from the rest of the family."

I picked up Jasper's phone and dialed Jacob's number.

"Hello?" Billy's gruff voice answered.

"It's Bella. I need to talk to Jacob." Billy knew why I had cut contact from my father and he had decided to stick to my decision and not tell him anything, at least for Charlie's sake if not for Jacob's or mine.

"Bells!" Jacob said, "How are you? Two days huh?"

"Yeah, about that," I started.

"You're not hurt are you?" he suddenly asked.

"No, no Jake I'm not. I just wanted to ask you something," I replied.

"Sure, anything."

"Would you be here?"

"When?"

"Two days from now. I need you here Jake. You're my best friend. I need you to be here for me."

"Ok," he told me.

"I'm sorry Jake," I replied, "I know this is a painful experience for you, but I need you."

"Do I have to be there while he's changing you?"

"It's going to be a simultaneous thing so I guess so."

"It's ok Bells," he said, "I'll be there."

"Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to hate me after I change?"

"I'm never gonna hate you Bells."

**Jasper's POV**

One day. Only one day left with things the way they were. The moment Bella woke up, I brought her something to eat. I brought up her favourite breakfast foods and watched as she enjoyed them. Then, we showered and changed and I took her to our clearing so that she could enjoy being in the sunlight without glittering for one last time. We lay down on the grass and held each other as time passed by. At midday, I took her to her favourite fast food restaurant so that she could taste her favourite bacon burger for one last time and at around four in the afternoon I bought her Berry Cobbler as a take away from her favourite diner; the one she used to visit with her dad, and she absolutely loved it. In the evening, we went out to eat at the restaurant where we had gone on our first real date and she loved the food. By the time we got home, she was exhausted but at least she had eaten all she could during her last day as a human. It was a wonderful and romantic day. It was also the last day that we would be together, just us, without a child. But we were both looking forward to having little Jeremy around; we were both hopelessly in love with him. I held her belly as she slept peacefully for one last time. And then the morning came.

**Bella's POV**

I woke up to the beautiful morning of the due date. Jasper brought me some breakfast so that I could enjoy it again for the final time. I went to the bathroom and I showered and wore some comfortable clothes. Jacob arrived at around nine in the morning. He said he would stay there until it was ok for him to go and that he would be there no matter what. Esme cooked him something to eat; a big breakfast and he loved her food immediately. We spent the whole morning together in the living room. I sat down on the sofa between Jasper and Jacob. Alice was sitting cross-legged on the floor at my feet, with Edward at her side and Rose and Emmett were on the other couch, snuggling up. Esme was sitting on an armchair reading a book and Carlisle was getting his office ready for me. I knew this would be embarrassing but I honestly couldn't wait.

We were watching some cartoons and laughing. I looked out of the window and smiled as I felt my first contraction. And then my water broke.

**A.N. I'm sorry again for the terribly long wait but I hope it was worth it. I will start working on the next chapter as soon as possible. Don't worry. You'll see Jeremy Jacob soon enough. Read and Review people :D**


	22. Chapter 22 : Alterations to our lives

_**A.N. I am terribly sorry for the long wait but I've started University for the first time and I have had so much to do and so many places to go. I've also had a lot of birthdays to celebrate with my friends so yeah; I guess that's enough reasons. I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait though! Enjoy**_

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own The Twilight Saga; Only Jeremy Jacob ^^ **

**Chapter 22: Alterations to Our Lives**

**Bella's POV**

I was lying down on the comfortable bed Carlisle had prepared for me. The room looked like a very sophisticated hospital private room. I even had flowers on the bedside table; freesias. But at that moment, all I could feel was the excruciating pain. I heard myself screaming but it was like I was an outsider; it felt like I wasn't even in my own body. I wondered if I was having an out-of-body experience. At that moment, I didn't care. I screamed again. I could feel the ripping pain inside my abdomen. I gripped the first two hands I found.

**Jasper's POV**

Bella gripped my hand and Esme's as we were the two people on either side of her. It pained me to see Bella feeling so hurt but this was necessary. I just hoped she would live through it; she had to – I wouldn't have it any other way. At that very moment I was preparing for everything to change and it all depended on me. Soon, another person would be joining our family and that person had been fathered by me. And after that, I would have to change Bella. Tears were flowing down her porcelain face and her eyes were wide with the jolts of pain that she was feeling. Carlisle had placed his hand on her tummy.

"He's too strong for her," he told me, "He's trying to push his way out but his bones and his skin are too hard for Bella."

"What do we do now?" I asked him.

"Let's create some space," he said. He looked at Edward who nodded and ushered everybody out of the room except for Carlisle, Jacob and myself. Jacob took Esme's place and held Bella's left hand. She looked up at him and I could feel his pain flowing towards me. It hurt him too to see her like that. But nothing was as big as the pain emerging from Bella. She was also feeling embarrassed as Carlisle had to touch her in order to check where the baby's head was.

"He's coming," he told her. Bella started to struggle to push Jeremy out of her. I squeezed her hand in order to encourage her but my mind was solely on the fact that soon I would have to bite her and restrain myself at the same time. The pressure that I was feeling was climbing up to a maximum at that moment.

**Bella's POV**

I felt Jasper squeezing my hand but as I looked up at him, I could see that his features were almost mangled. I could see the confusion upon his beautiful face. I knew he had to deal with a lot. His being an empath didn't help; he had to feel my pain and discomfort, Carlisle's anxiety, Jacob's mood, the baby's determination and struggle, and also his own pressure. I knew he was worried about both the baby and me, and mostly about his changing me which would soon have to take place. Oh Jasper; the poor thing was probably suffering more than I was; and here I was – selfishly groaning and screaming as if I were the one who was carrying the heaviest load. I squeezed his hand with as much pressure as I could afford; but I wasn't strong enough to really make an effect on his stone hard beautiful marble skin. The coldness of his skin and Jacob's warmth were like two extremes and both were causing me a bit of relief from the pain I was feeling. The coldness was helping to distract me from the abdominal pain (even though this was practically impossible) and the warmth was enveloping me in such a way as to make me feel softer and more flexible. Carlisle was edging me on to put a little more force into it so that the baby could finally get out. _Come on Jeremy!_

**Carlisle's POV**

I could see that Bella was more focused on providing comfort to Jasper. We both could tell that he was struggling underneath the pressure of all the things happening to him at once and all the changes which were about to take place and his life and everybody else's and he knew he had been the cause of all this. He had been the one to father Jeremy and now he would be the one changing Bella. These were of course good changes but the risk that they entailed was too much for him to bear. I felt sorry for him but I was also excited because his life would soon be falling into place. I could hear Alice calming Edward down. Even though Edward loved Alice, he still felt concerned about Bella. Alice told him she could see that everything would turn out well. However, even though Jasper could hear, this would not convince him. Suddenly I realized that Bella's baby was about to come. I looked at Jasper who nodded. His face looked like it was made of stone. He was worried. He knew he would have to change her as soon as the baby came out.

"Bella," I said, "push."

**Bella's POV**

As soon as I heard the word 'push', my heart started racing. All the fears in the world came into my mind. I squeezed Jacob and Jasper's hands as tightly as I could, fearing that this was the last time I would be seeing them; it wasn't that I didn't trust Jasper, because I did…a 100%; but I was afraid that the venom wouldn't be enough to keep me hear after all the pain that I was about to endure. I felt Jacob's thumb caressing the surface of my hand. I looked to the other side and watched Jasper as he kneeled down next to me and looked into my eyes. He kissed me on the lips and smiled softly, but I could tell that he was even more afraid than I was.

I made an effort to push as hard as I could. The unbearable pain that enveloped me as the baby's head hit me hard was indescribable.

**Jasper's POV**

I felt a pang of pain coming from Bella. That baby was strong; he was a half-vampire half-human and we still didn't know what features he had inherited from which parent but he was surely strong, and Bella was in so much pain. I was half regretting the fact that I had ever got her pregnant. I loved Jeremy with all of my heart already, but to watch Bella writhing in anguish on the bed was too much. Her pale face was lined with beads of sweat and tears which were crossing each other and forming indistinct lines on her cheeks. Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and her lips were quivering. Her skin was almost yellowing; she looked terribly ill. I felt her weakening a Carlisle pushed her on to keep on pushing the baby down. I could tell that her body wouldn't survive if the baby wasn't born in the next three minutes. We waited and waited and finally, we heard a scream coming from down there; Jeremy had been born, and his scream was as musical as ever; ok, so he had a vampire voice. I felt Bella's hand trembling in my own and I felt all of the strength leaving her. I could barely hear her heartbeat. I could make out the fast beats of Jacob's heart and some middle-paced beats coming from our son, but I could barely make out a simple thud coming from her chest. I watched her as her face settled into an expressionless shape and I followed my instinct. I dug my teeth into her neck and closed my eyes. The moment her sweet blood touched my tongue, I could no longer see. I just wanted more. I felt my feet angling themselves to get into a crouching position and I felt my grip on her tightening. I also felt two pairs of arms pulling me back and I knew it was Carlisle and Jacob and I wanted to stop but my mind wouldn't let me and I was too strong for the both of them. The sweet test of her untainted blood inside my mouth was so delicious and perfect; it was so holy and divine.

But then I heard Bella screaming; her scream was loud and soul-piercing and I opened my eyes and looked at her face, with her eyes rolling backwards and death coming to take over, and immediately I pulled away with my eyes stinging with tears that I couldn't possibly shed.

Her scream went on for a few more seconds and then she stopped and remained silent with her eyes closed. Her heartbeat was so fast; I knew that the change had begun. In one day, her heart would no longer beat. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up. It was Carlisle. I stood up from my crouching position and he pointed towards Jacob. Jacob was holding our son; our beautiful son. He handed the baby to me and I looked at him. He had Bella's beautiful brown eyes with golden specks. His face was pale and he had Bella's nose and lips. He had dark brown hair; just like Bella's. I looked at him. He was the spitting image of my wonderful and perfect love. I just looked at him and marveled at the sight of his beauty. Had we really made him together? Was this real? Was this what it felt like to be a father? It was an amazing feeling; something I had never dreamed of feeling before. Sure I had felt love for both Alice and Bella but this bond was something that nobody and nothing could break; the bond between father and son that had formed in a few minutes. I already loved Jeremy Jacob with all of my heart and I couldn't wait until I could show him the world, and until I could take him to Houston ; my hometown, so that I could teach him how to ride a horse and how to be a real cowboy. I wanted to teach him everything. I couldn't wait until he grew up, but at the same time I wanted him to stay like this so that he would never have to leave us to find his own mate.

"I did some research," Carlisle told me, "just this morning. But I didn't have time to tell you. He will grow at a normal rate and in an extremely regular manner until he is eighteen and then he will stop growing. His eyes will have turned to completely ochre or else red; depending on his diet – but of course in our case it will be ochre. His skin will start turning colder when he hits puberty and it will become harder around that time as well. His powers, if there are any, are inborn and they will continue to mature as he grows up."

I listened to him intently about my son's future. He would grow up to be a wonderful man. I felt a sudden rush of excitement coming from downstairs and I knew that everyone was waiting to meet this bouncing baby. I was somewhat disappointed because I wanted to be with him; just me and him and his mother… but that would have to wait until Bella woke up, all changed.

So Carlisle and Jacob followed me as we made our way downstairs to my weird and annoying family members whom I loved so much. Esme and Rosalie immediately covered their mouths at the sight of him and stared with their big golden eyes. I handed him to Esme and she took him into her arms and cuddled him only like a real mother could. And then she handed him to Rosalie. As soon as Rosalie had him in her arms, I felt a wave of motherly protectiveness, love, adoration and comfort coming from her. The warmth that she was sending off was something I had only felt coming from her once; the day she had married Emmett for the very first time. Emmett looked at his wife with his big eyes and huge smile and watched her as she happily held my son. Edward was looking down at his feet and I felt a hint of jealousy coming from him; I knew he had wanted this to be his son, but I could tell that he was also happy for us and for this I felt grateful. He looked up to meet my eyes. We had communicated in our own special way; like we always had, me and him.

"Congrats bro," he told me as he patted my back and hugged me. I looked at Alice. Her eyes were shining and she was literally bouncing up and down when Rosalie handed her Jeremy. She kept cooing over him and telling him how much clothes she was going to buy for him and how many clothes she had already bought him. And then it was like a brilliant idea had hit her. In the split of a second, she was gone and back with a beautiful boys' outfit which Rosalie had picked. They took him to Rosalie and Emmett's room to change him and it was just us five guys in the living room.

"Congrats man," Emmett said as he patted me on the back, "How's Bella?"

"She's changing," I told him. I winced as a wave of her excruciating pain hit me like thunder. I wanted to stop her pain and to take it upon myself completely.

"I just gotta be next to her," I told them. They all nodded their heads in understanding and I went back upstairs and pulled a chair to sit down next to her. I took one of her clenched fists in my hand and caressed it. I tried to give off waves of calmness and peace and serenity but nothing seemed to be working. She was still hurting and I knew this wouldn't pass. I remembered my change completely and it had been like hell over and over again for three whole days. If I could cry, I would have; for bringing her into all of this pain, and after all of the emotional pain and trouble I had caused. Why couldn't I have let her be happy with Edward? Why did I have to hurt her so badly?

"Jasper…this was supposed to happen; besides…Bella is happy with you…you are soul mates," Alice said as she walked into the room.

"Thank you Alice," I replied.

"You're throwing waves of angst downstairs. Everybody's feeling them. I just thought I'd come and see how you both were…I've seen him Jasper; in the future; he'll look just like Bella but he has your smile."

I smiled at her as I remember Jeremy downstairs and then she told me that Rosalie and Esme were feeling like they had each been given a pair of wings. I doubted none of what she said; I knew my mother and sister figures well enough to know that she was telling the truth.

**Bella's POV**

I felt him beside me. He was trying to calm me down. And I loved him so much. Sure, the pain was unbearable but dear God, how happy I felt that we were finally together; me, him and Jeremy. The moment the baby was born, I had felt the life being drained out of me and then I had felt an intense pain in my neck; he had bitten me, and he was literally sucking the life out of me. Without knowing how, I screamed and the moment the sound escaped my lips, he pulled away and then I felt the fire spreading within my veins. In the split of a second it felt like I was literally and truly burning on the inside. The pain was pulsating from my neck and spreading downwards and inwards. And it was still burning now and I knew it wouldn't stop. I didn't know how much time had passed but it had felt like days. The pain was just too much to handle.

**Jacob's POV**

I spent a lot of time with Jasper near Bella and I knew that she felt our presence because Jasper told me that whenever we were both near her, her pain calmed down by just a fraction because she was happy that we were there. He told me that she needed us both, so I spent most of the two nights either talking to Jasper and watching Bella with her eyes closed, in the state closest to sleep that she would ever be from now on, or else sleeping on the chair next to her bed with Jasper trying to soothe her and instead sending me into a deeper slumber as his waves hit me slowly. Sure, Bella was turning into that which would supposedly be my sworn enemy but I could never hate this girl who had proven to be nothing but loving and selfless towards me; no…I would always love her and protect her no matter what, and I knew that Jasper would always be on my team too.

**Bella's POV**

The pain melted away as fast as it had come in a split second. It felt like it had been months, but I knew that this was my third day; they had told me all of this before. I opened my eyelids and I was dazzled by all that I saw. Everything was much more detailed and beautiful than before; I had the eyes of a vampire now. I looked around me. The whole family was standing there and waiting for me to do something. I smiled at them. I could hear two heartbeats. One was in the room and the other one was downstairs.

I looked to my side and saw that Jacob was in the room, but wait where was Jeremy?

"Jeremy…"I said. My voice sounded different; it sounded musical…there was a femininity to it that there hadn't been before.

"He's downstairs…remember he has human blood and a beating heart."

"Can't I see him?" I asked.

They all looked at me like I was crazy. It was like they were all waiting for me to go crazy and start running around the room stark naked and screaming my head off. I felt quite normal; just a bit more poised and balanced. I sat up in bed and got down onto the floor. I looked down and saw that my belly was now flat again. I also found myself feeling weird because it had been incredibly easy to stand up straight without staggering or falling or even stumbling.

"Don't you feel it yet?" Emmett asked.

"Feel what?" I asked feeling puzzled.

"The burning," he said. Rosalie smacked him on the back of his head.

"What burning? I thought it was supposed to stop after the change was over…"

"Wait! So you really don't feel a thing?" Emmett asked, "So you don't feel the urge to drink all of Forks' blood?"

"No," I replied, "not really. I really don't feel a thing."

So that evening, they let me see Jeremy but I couldn't hold him yet; they were afraid that the smell of his blood would make me go crazy. Well, I did smell him and it smelt delicious but I didn't crave for it; not Jeremy's – I loved him too much. And Jacob's blood smelt very different than Jeremy's…I connected the smell to a dog's…so they had been right when they had compared his smell to that of a wet dog…but I loved him anyways and I was so grateful that he had stayed in a house full of vampires for three whole days just for me, and that he was still here in spite of what I had become.

Jeremy was beautiful. I loved him immediately. The emotions I felt for him brought me to the tears I couldn't cry. My eyes were stinging but no water was coming out. I wanted to hold him so badly but I couldn't. So Jasper held me close to him and rubbed my arm while we looked at our amazing son in Rosalie's arms. She would have been a great mother.

Jasper said that he was proud of me but extremely jealous of the fact that I could control myself so much around blood. Before we went out for a hunt that evening, Alice took me to her closet to look into the full-sized mirror. She told me I would love the way I looked and she was right. My pale face was almost flawless. I still didn't find myself as beautiful as Alice or Rosalie, but I looked much better than I had before. Still, my bright red eyes looked like something out of a horror movie upon my face. But my nose had become daintier and my lips fuller, my teeth had become whiter and my eyes had opened up wider. My lashes were longer and my hair looked fuller and shinier. My shape had been evened out and I had more curves than I had had before. I liked it.

The hunt was fun. Jasper and I went on our own. Running was the part which was most fun. We raced throughout the forest and I beat him every time. He said it wasn't fair since I was a newborn and I replied by saying that I would have beat him anyway. We wrestled over some deer and I ended up having twice as much as him. The first time their blood hit my tongue, it was like I had reached the paramount of my being. I felt ecstatic and high. I needed more and more; it wouldn't stop – the craving was now here and as I quenched my thirst, it felt so good; I felt so whole and so satisfied.

Jasper was pleased that I had found animal blood so satisfying and said that at least it wouldn't be that hard for me to hold to this diet.

That night, we lay down in bed and I found it weird not trying to sleep – it felt like a huge chunk of my life had been pulled out and now a big gaping hole had been left. But Jasper soon found a way to fill my emptiness and I was in a state of ecstasy once more.

_**A.N. the wait is over. I hope you enjoyed it :) Review please and I'm sorry for the long wait. I promise that the next chapter will be up soon. take care peeps. xxx**_

_**Complete Fiction Fanatic**_


	23. Chapter 23 : Starting Out

_**Not such a long wait this time. Hope you like it. We're nearing the end of our journey. We're getting nearer and nearer. Read and review =] **_

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga. I only own Jeremy and the plot. **

**Chapter 23: Starting out **

**Bella's POV**

It had taken a whole week to convince them to let me hold Jeremy, and in terms of vampires, a week was pretty long. The sweet smell of human blood on my second hunt had drawn me towards the human in possession of this sweet smell, but I had held myself back. I had thought of my father and the Quileutes, of Jessica and Angela, Ben, Tyler and Mike. They were all human beings who lived in Forks and they had families and friends. I couldn't possibly take that away for a brief moment's pleasure. I remembered my son and thought of his beautiful face; he too was half human and I couldn't risk not being able to control myself in front of him…his half vampire self must have a good example set; his intelligence was probably higher than other babies' as well as his perception. He was after all, a hybrid between a human and a most perfect being.

**Jasper's POV**

Bella had been begging Rosalie and Esme to hold little Jeremy for a week. I had held him a couple of times, but never in her presence; I didn't want to make her feel left out. I knew what it felt like to be deprived of something you longed for so much; I knew what it felt like to not be allowed to do something you had wanted to do for a very long time – I remembered how it had felt the first few months of vegetarianism; when I could not taste that sweet human blood but had to make myself content with tainted animal blood.

**Bella's POV**

When I held Jeremy for the first time in my life, my eyes started stinging with the tears my body wouldn't allow to be shed; at that moment, I longed for something I had never thought I would long for – I longed for the human ability to cry and to feel warmth. I looked down into my son's wonderful eyes. He was so beautiful and I loved him like I had never loved anybody else … not even Jasper…

I swore to myself that I would always protect him from anything, no matter what the cost would be. I would pay the price to keep him safe and alive, to keep him happy and content, and to keep him loved. I would be willing to give up anything just for him to be able to smile. I knew now that Jeremy had become my whole world.

**Jasper's POV**

Three years later, I found myself in the garden, underneath a wonderful white arch and a canopy of young pink roses above me. Jacob was on my left and Billy was in his wheelchair in the middle of the arch, waiting for my bride to come so that he could marry us. I had picked Jacob to be my best man because I knew that no matter what had happened, he had always respected me and Bella loved him dearly like a brother, and she always would. I looked at the beautiful vampires on the white chairs which were arranged into a few rows in front of the arch with an aisle in between. The Denalis had come, as well as some of Carlisle's old friends; people he had met in his voyages before he had changed Edward. I had invited Peter and Charlotte as they were my only remaining friends from that horrible past; they had been the ones to show me that I could live differently, and that I could live a better life. The wolves were all sitting down in a couple of rows. Young Quil Aetera had already phased as well as Leah Clearwater. Seth had been unable to attend as he was at home with his high fever. His mother, Sue, had opted to stay at home with him just in case he happened to phase at that point in time. Jeremy was in Esme's arms and I lost myself looking at him before the music started and my eyes went directly to the back door of our huge house.

**Bella's POV**

As I walked down the aisle towards Jasper, with Carlisle at my side and Alice and Rosalie standing right behind me, I felt the whole world disappear and it was just us two. I looked into his eyes and held them to my own. My feet were moving of their own accord, in pace with the music and my heart would have been hammering its way out of my chest had it been able to beat at all. Had my eyes been able to produce tears, I would have had a couple running down my cheeks, and a natural blush would have graced my cheek bones. But I was a vampire, perhaps not as beautiful as the other vampires in the garden, but beautiful enough to be Jasper's one and only bride. I looked at my beautiful blonde husband-to-be and I smiled as I reached him. Alice had done a great job with the decorations. The whole garden had become a blend of pink and white. Everything was based on floral patterns and romance. Petals were scattered on the grass. My dress was a beautiful bright white garment, specifically designed for me – leave it up to Alice. But all I could think about at that moment was Jasper and Jeremy and how soon enough we would be a proper family. Billy started reading from his book and soon enough, the moment for exchanging vows had come. We did it as calmly as we could, being vampires, as we wanted to savour the moment, and the exact point in time at which Jasper slipped the ring onto my finger, I felt complete.

**Jasper's POV**

Bella was now Isabella Whitlock Hale. She was not a Cullen like she had always hoped she would be; at least not on paper, but she was mine and she was a part of our family…she was everything….Bella and Jeremy had become my life and I loved them more than I had ever loved anyone or anything else; even Alice. When I looked into Bella's red eyes, soon morphing into a dark yellow colour…the colour of beer…I saw nothing but love as they shone.

Our first dance was amazing. Bella kept staring into my eyes and no words needed to be spoken. I could feel all of her emotions springing towards me, flowing like a breeze, surrounding me with their warmth. It was at times like these that I counted my blessings concerned with being an empath and being able to receive and project waves of emotions. I knew I was projecting love towards her; I didn't need to try…not this time.

**Bella's POV**

He was amazing. His hands on my waist made me feel like my world had suddenly become more whole than it had already been. I had missed this closeness that Jasper and I had shared before Jeremy had been born and before everything had started with my pregnancy. I loved Jeremy more than anything but I had missed these intense moments I'd had with Jasper long before. The look in his beautiful golden eyes was filled with the love he was projecting. Oh Jasper; how he had changed my life…how he had transformed me, in both a literal and a metaphorical sense. How my life had changed in just a matter of months. I had been Isabella Marie Swan; the chief's daughter, dating Dr. Cullen's son Edward and one of the above average students at Forks High School. Now I was married to Jasper Whitlock Hale, I was a vampire and we had a son who was a human-vampire hybrid.

And I wouldn't change a thing.

**Alice's POV**

I felt myself stiffening during Bella and Jasper's first dance. I gasped when I saw them in my mind.

**Edward's POV**

I read a mixture of jumbled thoughts coming from Alice's brain. She had been thinking about Bella's improved grace ever since her change and suddenly everything had gone black. I looked in her direction and saw her eyes glazed over. I looked into her brain but it was still all mixed up and jumbled.

**Jasper's POV**

I felt panic coming from my right side. I angled my head towards Alice and Edward and saw that her eyes were glazed over and Edward was looking at her intently. What was happening?

**Bella's POV**

Jasper had turned his head to the side. He was looking at Alice and Edward and I gasped when I saw the state that Alice was in. Terror had taken over her whole form and Edward's face was set like stone; my mind flashed back to that day at the very beginning when he had held me back from Jasper, in fear that Jasper would hurt me. Something bad was going to happen…something horrible was coming. I could tell. Edward wouldn't be like that otherwise. He had found his happiness with Alice; it was not jealousy. And Jasper would have disregarded jealousy; he had become used to it in the first few months.

Suddenly, I felt everybody's heads turn to my other side. The music had stopped. I followed their heads and if my heart had been beating it would have stopped.

**Alice's POV**

Crap!

**Edward's POV**

Shit!

**Jasper's POV**

Fuck!

**Aro's POV**

"Hello Isabella…Jasper…It's been a while." I said. I looked to my left and watched Caius smiling evilly at the bride and groom, who would soon be no more.

**Hope you liked :) **

**Read and review**

**Peace out Twihards ^^ **


	24. Epilogue

_**A.N.: Again, not such a long wait this time; um…thanks for the great reviews. Unfortunately, we have now reached the end of our journey. This is the long-awaited epilogue; an epilogue to end all beginnings. =] **_

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight saga; but I do own little Jeremy Jacob and the plot. =] **

**Enjoy**

**The Epilogue: An End to all Beginnings…A beginning to all ends**

"Aro, what do you want?"

"Isabella," he sneered, "I merely wanted to see how you were doing…"

"Aha…We're doing just fine thank you. What is it that brings the Volturi to Forks?"

"Interesting you should ask me that question…I was just about to ask you," he said before he was rudely interrupted by his brother.

"News has reached us of the existence of a hybrid. Where is the thing?" Caius asked.

Bella's golden eyes were blazing with fury. How dare they call her child a thing? She snarled at him and bared her teeth.

"No rules were broken," Jasper intervened, "We are now vampires and he will grow into a full vampire in fifteen years' time. No harm done there. He is of no danger to his fellow human beings, Caius." Jasper scrunched up his nose in disgust on the pronunciation of the culprit's name. He placed a protective arm around Bella's waist. Carlisle chose this as the moment to intervene.

"Caius," Carlisle said, his soft eyes shining with kindness and plea, "Please…they didn't do any harm. The child has been in the family for three years and we have never had any sort of trouble with him. We have only fed him human food so that he would not be in danger of exposing us. Do not think that he is some sort of incubus or succubus or anything of the sort. He is merely a hybrid between Jasper and Bella, who are now both vampires."

"And so much has changed," Aro remarked, "I thought Bella wanted to become a vampire to be with Edward, but it seems she was only fascinated with the world of vampires and could indulge in romantic activities with anyone she pleased."

"Hey!" Jasper said, "Things changed, and besides…she already knew too much to just let her go without changing her. And she was already a part of our family. Stop this. You are being unjust, as usual."

"No we are not," Marcus stated with a look of utter boredom upon his ever static features, "We are simply here to carry out a task." That was when Jane emerged from the shadows, accompanied by her brother Alec. Felix had his hand upon her shoulder and Dimitri lingered behind them. These were quite a curious four – always stuck together; working like a team. One should wonder; did they possess some sort of affection towards one another? Or was it merely the fact that they felt strong with their powers combined? They were the assets of the Volturi; Jane was simply their best asset apart from Aro of course.

"And what task is that?" Rosalie snapped. Her features were as cold and stern as ever. Rosalie was often angry, but she had never been this cold. "Rose," Emmett said as he put his arm around her waist, "Sshh…" It was understandable of course; Emmett loved his family, but Rosalie was his everything and he didn't want to risk losing her to the Volturi.

"Do you have a problem with the Volturi carrying out their tasks, Miss Rosalie?" Caius snapped. Emmett squeezed her close to him and she merely glared at Caius, who turned his head to look at Bella and Jasper once more. His features changed from a scowl into the most evil smirk anyone had ever beheld prior to this moment. Aro stepped forward and his whole entourage copied his step. Jane was smiling in a mock-innocent evil manner.

"Don't you even dare step towards my son!" Bella snapped. Jane attempted to step forward and that was the last straw for Bella. She let nobody hold her back. She sprang forwards and lunged at the tiny imp-like vampire who had attempted to go against her word. Jane knew that although her power was strong, it would have no effects against this impenetrable shield. Bella and Jane were quarreling badly. They were baring and snapping their teeth at each other's faces like wild animals. Alec had started to panic and was trying to stop Bella from fighting with his twin sister by trying to paralyze the rest of the Cullen clan. Bella noticed this change in atmosphere immediately, and lunged at Alec to stop his effects. Once she had him pinned down to the floor, she tore off his right arm and threw it across the yard. Alec's eyes widened and he screeched in fear. Jane couldn't hold it in. She screamed and lunged at Bella, climbing on top of her back and trying to disassemble her head from her body. Edward just couldn't hold it in anymore. He rushed forward, before anybody else and pulled Jane away from Bella. Jane was caught off guard and hadn't had time to produce any sort of effect on Edward. Before she knew it, both of her arms had joined her brother's. Bella had torn off Alec's head and it was now resting underneath the horse-chestnut tree near the back door of the house. Jane was screaming. Felix grabbed Edward by the neck and lifted him upwards. Edward knew exactly what Felix was about to do, and he did not allow him to do so. He monitored his every thought and acted before Felix had a chance to perform anything. Alice was quick on her legs and knocked him down. Dimitri simply fled; he couldn't take it anymore – he had never wanted this. He had never wanted to be a part of this; he had been forced into it and this was his chance to escape from his suffocating clan. With Alec dismantled and Jane partly disassembled, Aro started feeling alarmed.

"Alice!" Carlisle shouted, "Come here." Alice rushed to her makeshift father's side.

"What?" she asked.

"Stop this. We shouldn't be fighting or _killing_ the Volturi! They will make us all pay! We have to stop." Edward had read Carlisle's mind and had backed off as well.

"Jasper! Don't you even think about going in," Alice said, "You have to hold on to Jeremy."

"I won't let go of him Alice," he replied, "But what about Bella? I can't leave her on her own. And she won't back off. You know how protective she gets when Jeremy's safety is in question."

"I know Jazz," she replied as she walked over to him, "I'm sorry. We'll try to reason things out with them. But with Alec dead, they will want their revenge."

"If we don't burn him, he will come back together and no harm will have been done; no crime will have been committed."

"Isabella," Aro said. She lifted up her eyes to look at the kindest out of these evil brothers. Bella stood up and smoothened down her dirty and ragged wedding dress to face Aro. "Isabella," he repeated, "All we want is the boy. We will not destroy him; we will merely keep him with us. He would be a great asset and a first; and with such talented parents, he might also prove to be an important part of our clan. That is all we want."

"You will not get your hands on him, you filthy Italian bastard!" Bella shouted. The rest of the Volturi gasped. How dare she offend their master in such a way? This one had some nerve!

"Aro," Carlisle said, "Please understand…he is their son; they love him and they want to raise him themselves…you should understand this. Don't you remember when Jane and Alec first joined and how you wouldn't let anybody near them?"

Aro nodded.

"However," Caius said, "We cannot let this slide. Not this time. She has committed multiple offences; apart from the destruction of Alec's body, she has committed assault towards the Volturi and it was not in self-defence; she initiated the whole fight, and Jane and Felix are injured because of her. She has also offended our leader in an irreconcilable manner. This cannot be forgiven."

"We can let it slide this time, can we not?" Aro asked his brother.

"No, Aro. The Volturi don't give second chances."

Aro's red eyes were suddenly filled with sorrow for this clan that belonged to his long-lost best friend Carlisle Cullen. He didn't want to commit any sort of harm towards them. He had been against this trip from the start, but duty had made him follow and now he was here and had no choice.

"I am sorry, Isabella…" Aro said, "But I have to do it." Bella's face was filled with fear. Caius and Marcus pushed her down onto the floor and held her arms. They turned her around to see her family for one last time. Jasper knelt down to the floor. Carlisle and Emmett had to hold him back, lest he should jump towards Bella to attempt saving her. Edward had turned his face and his eyes were burning with the tears he couldn't shed. Alice, Rosalie and Esme were all huddled in a corner, sobbing in all of their dryness. Jacob and the Quileutes were phasing, one by one, but Carlisle shook his head; he knew that this was a lost battle – he knew that they couldn't change their minds, and whatever they did could only results in more deaths on the Cullens' part. He wanted to save Bella but it was an impossible task. This blonde vampire's heart was shattering to pieces at the creeping death of his latest daughter.

Forgotten by all, I looked straight into my mother's eyes and watched as they tore her to pieces and burned her to ash and heard my father screaming as he sobbed, "I'm Right Here Darling, I'm right here…"

_Fin_

**A.N: I hope you enjoyed that. I know it is a sad ending to the story, but I hope you enjoyed the twists. Please review. :) Thank you everyone who has ever supported me in writing this fanfic. **

**Until the next time,**

**Peace out peeps :) Take care ^^ xoxo**

**CompleteFictionFanatic **


	25. Epilogue's Epilogue: The Real End

**A.N. I hope this pleases all of my fans :) teamjasperrulz – I hope u like this :) **

**I'm Right Here Darling: The Epilogue's Epilogue – The Real Ending **

_Jeremy's POV_

I opened my eyes and I gasped. I was holding Esme's hand. I looked to my right. My parents were still dancing in the middle, Alice and Edward were conversing and holding each other's hand, Rosalie and Emmett were dancing in a corner, and Carlisle was talking to Elezear. I had seen this all before. And then I realised. Aunt Alice…I was like Aunt Alice…

I let go of Esme's hand and ran to my mother. I wrapped my arms around her legs. She looked down at me.

"What's wrong darling?" she asked me. I looked up at her beautiful golden eyes. My father crouched down and ruffled my brown curly hair which had become much lighter in the previous year and was slowly turning blonde, like his.

"Is everything ok buddy?" my father asked. I shook my head as tears streamed down my face. I told them everything I had just seen, happening before my very eyes.

"Mummy," I said, "Please don't go anywhere."

"I promise I won't," she told me as she bent down to kiss me on top of my head. My father and mother stood up then and tried to speak in barely audible whispers but I could hear every single thing that they were saying. Even though my senses were not as precise and acute as other fully mature vampires', they were still heightened, and I was being selectively attentive at this particular moment. This thing was not something to toy with. I knew Aunt Alice and what happened to her and the same thing had happened to me.

"He might just be worried," my mum whispered to my dad.

"Bella, darlin'," my father said, "You know we happen to be gifted and this is our son. Sweet pea, we have to listen to him. I think we should call the party off." My mother nodded. A lot of time had already passed anyway and they had celebrated enough of their wedding. My father tapped the microphone to say that the cake would be cut as there had been some complications. Everybody was questioning the situation, but when Uncle Edward backed my father up, everybody listened. Aunt Alice suddenly gasped and I looked at her just to watch her coming out of a trance. In a second she was standing next to my mother.

"Volturi," she said, "they're coming now." My mother turned her face in my direction and our eyes connected and then she knew that my gift was powerful and true as could be. The cake was cut and the guests were ushered out as quickly as possible. Aunt Alice was edging everybody on and going on about how there was almost no time left and they were coming closer. Everybody changed their clothes quickly and Esme changed me as quickly as possible and we all went downstairs to the living room.

"Now, everybody must remain calm," Jasper said, "It's not easy for me to calm everyone down when I'm stuck in this situation, but I'll try to help."

"Bella," Edward said, "You have to calm yourself down and hold back. What Jeremy's seen is very intense. You must hold back, and work hard on using your shield rather than your physical force. Don't assault the Volturi and they will not assault you. We will all make sure of that." My mother nodded. I was sitting on her lap and she was caressing my hair.

Esme wanted me to stay inside and wanted someone to stay with me; maybe Rosalie? But Carlisle refused to leave the two of us alone in the house, knowing how many people the Volturi would bring with them. He thought we would be in more danger and since I was the main target, along with my mother and father, they would do just about anything to get to me. So we went outside and waited. While we had been talking, Emmett had torn down all the decorations and the yard was plain and clear. I felt a tension all around me and looked straight ahead. A cloud of black intertwined with a misty grey was moving slowly our way.

Our family held hands as we waited for them. I wondered why they hadn't asked for the help of the Denali clan, after all that I had seen, but I guess they had wanted to keep it simple and 'friendly'.

When the cloud arrived closer to us, at the border of the yard, a man in the middle held up his hand and everybody stopped moving, except for a group of seven. In the middle was a tall man with a sickly pale face, bright ruby red eyes, a sarcastic smile on his pink lips and long black hair which was combed back neatly. He shone as the diffused rays struck his face, like the rest of my family. I barely shone when I was in the sunlight, and I often felt bad because of it but my mum and dad had promised that I would be as shiny as they were when I was fully matured. Next to the guy in the middle, on his left, was a taller man who held back slightly. His hair was long and brown and curly, he was pale. His red eyes were in a neutral mood and he had a look of absolute boredom upon his face. On the other side of the middleman was a slightly shorter vampire. His hair was a platinum blonde and his eyes threw daggers at my family. The most evil scowl graced his face. On either side, were two very similar beings. I gasped. All of these people had been in the vision I had seen. I recognized the two little figure as Alec and Jane, the twins – Jane had been the one my mother had destroyed. Behind these five members of the Volturi council, were Felix and Dimitri whom I also recognized from my dream. I started feeling tears stinging at the back of my eyes, but I couldn't cry in front of these people. It would only prove our weakness. Unlike mature vampires, I had the ability to cry for a limited time.

"Aro," my mother started. But Carlisle decided to interrupt her before she caused any damage.

"Aro, old friend," he said, "What is it that brings you here to visit us?" Aro's sarcastic smile persisted but soon turned into a genuine smile directed at Carlisle. I could sense some shame in that smile. I had heard my family speaking of this clan before, and Esme had often said that Aro had been very fond of Carlisle back in the day.

Caius, the blonde vampire with the evil scowl decided to speak then to interrupt his brother from becoming too soft, I presumed. I didn't know how I was making all of these assumptions without knowing these people, but I guessed that my vision and my heightened logic were being of great help to me.

"You Cullens have been bypassing the law for too long a time, and you have committed a terrible offence. I am sure Carlisle knows what I am talking about. The creation of a succubus or incubus is not permitted, and you have created one! It must be immediately removed."

The conversation had already started changing, most probably because Carlisle had held my mother back from saying what she had wanted to say to Aro.

"If you allow us to have the succubus quietly, we will leave and there will be no need for conflict," Aro said, "Carlisle, I did not mean to cause you any trouble. But the law is the law."

"Shut up brother," Caius snapped, "You are too soft-hearted for your position. You must be firm! If they refuse to hand it over, then we shall take it by force!"

"But you don't understand!" my mother cried out.

"Bella!" Uncle Edward snapped.

"Please, do carry on…" Marcus droned.

"Our son," she said, "Was made in as normal a manner as possible. He is no succubus or incubus. I was still a human when he was conceived and when he was born, but he is not the only one of his kind. He is half-vampire and half-human. His development consists of a transformation from a hybrid into a full vampire. He will stop maturing when he is eighteen and by that time, he will be a full vampire just like all of us."

"But," Aro said, "How do we know that he is not a danger of exposing us?"

"His intelligence is very much heightened," my mother said, "He knows he must not share his knowledge or show off his skills at school. We can assure you and swear that everything will be fine. No secrets have been or will be spilled, no rules have been or will be broken and no blood has been or will be shed."

"That is up to us to decide," Caius said. I watched his eyes as he signaled the female twin, Jane, to do something. Suddenly, my Uncle Edward knelt down to his knees, crying in what seemed to be anguish. My mother seemed to be infuriated and I looked at my father who seemed to be concentrating on calming her down. My mum balled up her hands into fists and set her jaw into a concentrated expression. I knew she was trying to shield. She had been practicing for a long time, just in case she would need it, and here she was. I knew my mum would be capable of doing it well. Suddenly, I felt a shiver passing through me and I looked around our family and saw a glow. Uncle Edward was no longer on the floor. A force field surrounded us. We were all protected.

Both twins gasped. They were powerless against my family now.

"You should leave," Carlisle said, "Please Aro."

"No!" Caius said as he charged towards our family. My mother, who was suddenly caught off guard, let go of her power and the shield dissolved. Caius smiled evilly but soon enough Emmett was pounding him to the floor.

"Emmett," Rosalie hissed, "Get back here." But Uncle Emmett would have none of it.

"Listen here," he said to Caius, who was still pinned down to the floor, "You leave my family alone or I will tear you apart."

Caius spat at Emmett, who in turn punched Caius in the face, causing the skin on his left cheek to partially crack. Carlisle then pulled Emmett off of Caius and asked him to quietly take his place back next to Rosalie.

I looked up at the dark cloud to find that most of it was gone. They had seen enough of our power, I guessed, and had been afraid. The grey misty ones had all bailed out on their council, and the black cloaks had vanished.

All that was left were the seven people in front of us. Caius was infuriated. Aro scowled at him and Marcus stared at the whole situation in a very unanimated manner. Nothing could ever entertain that guy. I could see that Dimitri was anxious and wanted to get the hell out of there, but knew he couldn't due to his high position with the Volturi.

"We shall fight," Felix said, "You have harmed one of us and so you shall all pay." He charged towards our family again, and soon enough, Alec and Jane followed. My mother worked hard on protecting everybody using her shield and it was partially working. We were all protected to some extent; at least more than_ they_ were. I held on to my mother's knees and she stroked my hair. My father and Uncle Edward were tearing Felix apart while Emmett was preparing a fire. Rosalie was taking care of Jane and Carlisle was dealing with Alec. Esme and Alice were running to and fro from Rosalie to Carlisle and assisting where possible. My mother and I stood facing the remainder of the council; the three Volturi brothers and Dimitri, who were waiting quietly in the sidelines for everything to finish.

Soon enough, Jane, Alec and Felix were burning and turning to ash, and Rosalie was attaching Emmett's arm back in its place from the elbow downwards as Felix had torn it apart in a feeble attempt to try and distract my father and Edward.

My family all assembled themselves in a line, next to my mother and I. "Aro," Carlisle said, "I am sorry, but we had to protect ourselves."

"I know," Aro said to Carlisle.

Caius was about to bounce from his place in their line and jump at us.

"Caius!" Aro said, "I order you to hold back!"

Caius looked at Aro, astonished and bewildered with a 'how dare you?' expression on his face.

"I am your superior and I order you to hold back. They were merely protecting themselves. It was a fair fight. Those who chose to participate did so and they paid their price."

"But they assaulted us!"

"No, Caius," Aro said, "We assaulted them. Your heart is too hardened, my brother. You must learn how to feel, or else _you_ will end up turning to ash. Other vampires are as strong as we are, and now without Felix, Alec and Jane, we are practically devoid of most of our power. We need to watch it now. _You_ need to watch it."

I clung to my mother even harder as a heavy silence fell upon us as twilight descended upon the skies.

"Our apologies for disrupting your family," Marcus said.

"It is ok. We apologise for the damage we have caused," Carlisle replied.

"No damage was done. Those who play with fire get burned," Aro said, "They chose to…and they got what they bargained for. I will miss my little Jane, but she never could control her temper or her emotions. However, before we leave, we would like to ask for a favour."

"Of course," Carlisle replied cordially.

"The child," Aro said, "Is almost exceptionally unique, and no doubt gifted."

"Carry on…" Carlisle replied as Aro paused.

"We were wondering if he would join our council, of course; his parents might accompany him as well as your whole family – you are all welcome and all have such extraordinary gifts!"

"Aro," Carlisle said, "I thank you for your offer, but we prefer to remain here, as we always have. We are happy with the way things are going and our life is comfortable the way it is. We have to decline."

"That's fair," Aro said, "We shall leave you now, my friend. Until we meet again, goodbye."

"Goodbye Aro," Carlisle said.

We watched as the remaining four of the council descended into the depths of the forest until they were no longer seen. I looked around at my family; still whole and together.

Everybody went inside, and soon enough we were all retired in our rooms, to spend some time with those of our choice.

It was just my mother, my father and I now, in our own bubble – where nothing and nobody could interrupt us, and we were still alive.

"I was so afraid when you were fighting Felix," my mother said as she sobbed.

"Mummy," I said, "It's ok we're all here now!"

"Yeah Bells," my father said.

"I just can't believe everything is fine now!" she replied as she continued sobbing.

My father rubbed her back. He kissed her on the cheek as he ruffled my hair.

And then he looked at my mother and said, "I'm right here darlin', and I always will be! I ain't going anywhere."

**A.N. Hope you guys like this :D **


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